Board of Education Members
Matt Cragg
I am a 1993 graduate of Grayling High School where I played four years of football and basketball. After high school I attended Kirtland Community College with the ideals of becoming a police office, but I decided to follow in my family’s footsteps and I have spent 30 years in the transportation industry. In 2008 I decided to go back to school to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree and became the first in my family to graduate from college. Now, I am a Customer Service Center Manager for Suburban Propane overseeing five offices across Northern Michigan.
I was appointed to the board in the fall of 2020, which has provided me with the opportunity to give back to the district and schools where I graduated from. I like being a part of the decisions to make sure the students are provided with the abilities to achieve their educational goals, graduate, and become productive members of society.
I have multiple family members who attended and graduated from the Grayling Schools including my wife Angie (1995), my daughter Makayla (2014), and, soon, my son Dylan (2022).
My hobbies include spending time with my family, weight training, being an assistant on the boys varsity basketball team, attending sporting events, concerts, and the north woods.
Matt Cragg can be contacted at mcragg@casdk12.net.
Wendy Kucharek
Wendy (Feldhauser) Kucharek has ties to Crawford County that date back to the 1880s when the Feldhauser family moved here. Her great grandfather built the Feldhauser School, which still stands on the corner of North Down River and Wakeley Bridge roads. Her mother was a Sorenson, so "I grew up in the funeral home." She is the daughter of Hank Feldhauser (who died in 1964) and Marlene Lippard, (who died in 1999).
Wendy graduated from Grayling High School in 1973 and married Mike Kucharek in 1976. She has two sons, Charlie (GHS Class of 1995) and Chris (GHS Class of 1996). Chris Kucharek is presently a GMS science teacher and a coach. He and his wife Marlana have three children -- one a student at Grayling Elementary School and two who attend Grayling Middle School. Having her grandchildren attend CASD schools is "part of the reason why I ran for the board."
Ms. Kucharek earned an associate of arts degree from Kirtland Community College in 1995. She worked for the CASD, beginning in 1988 -- as a cook at GES, hall monitor at GMS and library paraprofessional at FES and GMS -- until her retirement in 2011.
You can contact her at 989-348-7528 or wkucharek@casdk12.net
Pam LaGattuta
Info forthcoming.
She can be reached at plagattuta@casdk12.net.
Josh Peters
Josh Peters was born and raised in Shepherd and graduated from Shepherd High School in 1999. He attended Alma College where he earned a B.A. in exercise and health science in 2004. He then earned a doctorate in physical therapy from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2014. He currently works for Munson Home Healthcare as a physical therapist.
His wife Kim graduated from Cadillac High School in 2000 and holds a B.S. in education from Central Michigan University and an M.A. in early childhood education from Brenau University in Gainesville, Georgia. She currently teaches at GES and has coached volleyball at GHS and GMS.
Mr. Peters and his family and moved to Grayling in the summer of 2016. Prior to that they lived in the Ft. Myers/Naples, Florida, area. However, he and his wife Kim are Michigan natives and had a desire to move closer to family and raise their children in their home state. "My childhood friend, Tim Sanchez, strongly encouraged us to consider moving to Grayling and provided us with a wealth of information and knowledge regarding the amazing people, area and school system," he said. "We have felt right at home in Grayling and haven’t looked back!"
"I was appointed to the school board in the summer of 2019 to fill Dave Malm’s position as trustee," he said. "My priorities include giving my best to continue to uphold the standard of excellence of the CASD and to use my time and resources to serve our students, families, teachers and staff."
He and his wife "have four wonderful sons, Jordan, Jaden, Jason, and Joe, and a very large Bullmastiff, Thor."
"My hobbies include spending time with my family, raising boys, enjoying the company of good
friends, a variety of backyard sports, reading, exercise/fitness-related activities, skiing/snowboarding, being on the water, sitting around the campfire, attending youth sporting events and experiencing the beauty of living in Crawford County."
Mr. Peters can be reached at jpeters@casdk12.net.
Nicole Persing-Wethington
Nicole Persing-Wethington was raised in Grayling; her family homesteaded in Crawford County more than 5 generations ago. She received her Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management, and is completing her Master of Arts in Learning, Design, and Technology from Central Michigan University in Spring of 2022. Nicole is an instructor for Michigan State University Extension. She has worked across the lifespan in education, preschool through older adults. She currently teaches evidence-based programs in Social-emotional Health and Disease Prevention & Management. Nicole takes special interest in research projects and policies, systems, and environmental change initiatives to support education and health.
Nicole was elected to the board as a write-in candidate in 2016. She believes in the power of an excellent education and providing the best opportunities possible to our students. Every student should have access to an education that will support their future goals.
Nicole has two children who attend CASD. She enjoys attending school events, outdoor recreation, reading, spending time with her dogs, coaching middle school basketball, and volunteering in the community.
Nicole can be reached at nwethington@casdk12.net.
Lori Johnson
Lori Johnson graduated from Central Michigan University in August of 1984 and was hired in September as a special education teacher at Frederic Elementary School. She transferred to Grayling Middle School the year after GMS was remodeled and retired from her position there in June 2018 after a 34-year career in special education.
"Being on the board of education has provided me the opportunity to stay connected to the education programs our community provides," said Ms. Johnson. "CASD continues to be a leader in education, and I want to be sure all students are provided the opportunity to be career and college ready."
She enjoys participating in outdoor activities with family, hanging out with her horse at her farm, reading and gardening. She also volunteers and is a member of three Frederic Township committees.
She is married to Bill Johnson, a GHS graduate, and her daughters are GHS grads as well -- Laura in 2009 and Ciara in 2012. Her stepsons, Bill Johnson III and Bryon Johnson, also attended schools in the CASD. Her mother, Donna Horning, is a 1957 GHS graduate.
She can be contacted at ljohnson@casdk12.net or 989-350-5378.
Ryan Finstrom
I was born and raised in Cadillac and graduated in 1997 from Cadillac High School. I attended Ferris State University and received my Associate’s Degree in Law Enforcement and Survey Engineering. I completed the Police Academy at Kirtland Community College and immediately started on Marine Patrol with the Crawford County Sheriff's Office before joining the department fulltime in October of 2001.
I had the opportunity to be the CASD School Resource Officer on three separate occasions for a total of five years. During that time, I gained a great insight into the work our teachers do for our students, and I was pleased to assist our educators in procuring a better future for our youngsters. In my career, I have been on the Emergency Response Team for seventeen years; I worked undercover for five years; currently I am a Sergeant for our road patrol.
I was appointed to the school board in June of 2021. With my time in our school buildings and the community, I can offer my experiences to keep CASD moving in the right direction and keep it a great place to learn and work.
While my wife and I used to live in Roscommon, we had our kids enrolled in Grayling for School of Choice since kindergarten due to the extraordinary success our teachers bring to all of our students. A few years ago, we built our house in Grayling, and we now live here full time.
In my free time, I enjoy hunting, water sports, and volunteering in the community. My wife and I spend most of our time, though, following our kids and their busy school and sports schedules as being an active father is one of the greatest jobs I have ever had. Serving on the CASD School Board for years to come is the ideal opportunity for me to help guide our school and our community forward to ensure all students receive a safe, responsible, and multi-dimensional education.
He can be contacted at rfinstrom@casdk12.net.
