Jim Fraley is focused on giving youth the best chance to succeed no matter what path they want to take in life.
“I want to help the kids reach their potential,” he said. “It’s all about the kids.”
Yuma School District-1’s new superintendent took time to visit with the Pioneer earlier this week. He began in his new role on July 1, replacing Dianna Chrisman, who retired after 10 years as the Yuma-1 superintendent.
Fraley said he grew up in Deer Lodge, Montana, a town similar in size to Yuma. It is located off I-90 between Missoula and Butte.
He has spent most of the last 30 years in the much-larger city of Cheyenne, Wyoming, where he and his wife raised six children. He held a variety of roles working for the Laramie County School District No. 1, which has 14,000 students.
“I wanted to get back to a smaller district,” Fraley said.
He was the assistant superintendent of instruction for the past four years. Other administrative roles included serving as principal at two elementary schools. He has been a teacher and coach. He also founded a club basketball program, Wyoming Flight Basketball Association, whose teams compete all over.
Fraley said he decided to switch from coaching to being in administration because he could have an impact on more youth. That he did as the Laramie County SD-1 has made advances in education, as well as student readiness, creating a healthy environment and fostering community engagement across the district.
His aim in Yuma is to continue his focus on community engagement. He said he wants to hear from students, staff and community members about points of pride, what is working and what can be improved. He said he wants to increase enrollment by making Yuma schools attractive to everyone.
“There were a few jobs in this area that appealed to me,” Fraley said. “It just came down to where’s the board at, where the district is at, and where I was at. It just seemed like a good match.”
He and his wife, and their three dogs, moved to Yuma last month. Fraley said he has been all over town, to the restaurants, and went to the Third of July Fest last Thursday at ball park complex.
“It’s really good to be here,” he said. “Yuma’s been a great place so far.”
He has a few weeks to settle into his new role prior to ramping up for the new school year in August.
“I want to help set up the kids for the rest of their lives,” Fraley said, “because that’s what it’s all about.”