Josh Fralick recently announced his bid for office. Fralick is running for Jackson County Board of Education District 4.
Fralick’s announcement stated, “Hello, my name is Josh Fralick, and on my birthday this year I made the decision to run for Jackson County Board of Education, District 4.
I am a husband to my wife, Shelby, and a father to three girls — Emersyn (7), Olivia (5) and Amelia (2). Shelby serves as the transportation coordinator at the Jackson County Council on Aging and recently became a Girl Scout troop leader in our area.
Serving others is something that has always been important to both of us, and it is a value we are working to instill in our daughters.
I currently serve as a Senior Engineering Technician at CFD Research in Hollywood. Prior to that, I spent 13 years as a NASA contractor working at Dynetics, where I advanced from a mechanical and electrical technician into Assembly, Integration and Test on critical Department of Defense and space systems.
I served as the lead test technician for the Vulcan Centaur solid rocket booster separation test and also worked on the Astrobotic Peregrine Lunar Lander, which flew as a payload on Vulcan Centaur as part of America’s return-to-the-Moon efforts.
While I’m proud of my professional career, my path hasn’t always been easy. Between third and eleventh grade, I never completed a full year at the same school.
My home life shifted from stable to very difficult during my high school years. I went from being a strong student to struggling just to get through.
Those experiences shaped how I see the world and gave me a heart for students who may feel overlooked or disconnected.
Over the years, coaching youth sports and volunteering in the community helped me understand that real impact happens when we invest in others.
That’s where I found my purpose — helping young people see their value and potential.
If elected, my focus will be on supporting at-risk students, strengthening collaboration among educators, expanding STEAM and career pathway opportunities and aligning education with workforce development in our community.
I also strongly believe in supporting our teachers, bus drivers, custodians and all school staff who impact students every day.
My life has taken me from instability to contributing to national space missions. I believe both the struggles and the successes have prepared me to serve with empathy, accountability and a commitment to finding solutions for our students and families.
On my birthday this year, I announced my candidacy for the Jackson County Board of Education, District 4.
This decision has been years in the making and comes from a lifelong commitment to serving youth and community.
I spent 15 years working for defense contractors while volunteering as a coach, mentor and community board member.
As a former student who attended seven schools and faced significant childhood adversity, I understand how instability affects learning.
Educators played a critical role in my life, and I believe every student deserves guidance, opportunity and a plan for success.
I am running to help ensure all students in Jackson County can reach their full potential.”
