School Board

Thank you for visiting the OLPH Consultative School Board’s webpage. Our school board serves as a governing body that provides support and guidance to Mrs. Sharon Krahl, her faculty and staff. Together, we collaborate to share our knowledge and expertise to facilitate the continual growth of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School and ensure that Catholic education in the Santa Clarita Valley continues to thrive.

Our school board is made up of the following committees: Buildings and Grounds, School Expansion, Succession and Continuity, Scholarship and Tuition, Bylaws, and Safety. Each committee is led by a chairperson to address specific tasks and areas that require dedicated attention for short-term needs and long-term sustainability of OLPH Catholic School. The board includes representatives from all three Santa Clarita Valley parishes (Saint Kateri, St. Clare and Our Lady of Perpetual Help), Bishop Alemany High School, current and past OLPH Catholic School parents, current and past OLPH Catholic School teachers, and various prominent community leaders.

Accomplishments and Projects of the School Board for 2024-2025

● Created a school board link within the OLPH school website.

● Surveyed school grounds and created a suggested school beautification checklist, including projects such as lower playground privacy fencing, improving school signage, painting and repairs, identifying possible safety hazards and upgrading the sound system.

● Identified a need to establish a Safety Committee within the board to provide input and assistance to the administration.

● Developed the Grotto Rejuvenation Project in conjunction with the church.

I am honored to have served as a member of the OLPH School Board for the past two years. I have spent the past 25 years of my career in facilities management and administration. Most recently, I managed facilities for a private Catholic girls college prep school in Pasadena for 13 years, and before that, I worked at Yahoo Inc. as the Southern California regional facilities director for 10 years. Both positions supported and oversaw all aspects of facility operations, including maintenance, repairs, capital improvements, space utilization, safety and code compliance, emergency response and budgeting. I have also managed a team of maintenance staff, security and external contractors, and I have coordinated project and vendor management. I am happy to share my lessons learned with OLPH and support those collaborative efforts that apply to my expertise.

I am a retired elementary school teacher who has taught in the public and Catholic school systems, grades K-6. I have also worked as a university supervisor, coaching and evaluating student teachers. I currently work for the nonprofit organization Foster Youth Independence, where our mission is to assist former foster youth in the Santa Clarita Valley gain a secondary education or career and become independent adults. I have been a member of Saint Kateri Parish in Valencia for more than 30 years and participate in its Go Fish Ministry and Family Promise Ministry, which serve the communities in need. I continue to grow my faith through serving others, attending Bible study at OLPH Church and volunteering on the OLPH School Board.

I am the proud parent of an OLPH Catholic School alum. During our time at OLPH, the school was committed to supporting my child’s accelerated learning journey, which led him to enter college after graduating from eighth grade and attain his master’s degree in engineering at age 19. I believe in nurturing intellectual and spiritual growth, and I appreciate the school’s dedication to faith-based education and strong moral values. While at OLPH, I served in various volunteer positions, including as a room parent and a member of the PTO Board. I am a longtime parishioner of OLPH, currently serving as the coordinator of the Altar Server Ministry, a member of the Music Ministry, and a Eucharistic minister.

My name is Mindy Irwin, and I currently serve as a staff member at Saint Kateri Parish, where I am the liturgy/adult sacraments coordinator. I have been a parishioner at Saint Kateri for 22 years. I became a Catholic while living in Atlanta, where I served as a preschool music teacher, children’s choir director, RCIA facilitator and elementary catechist. I also serve as a Master Catechist in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which helps me to continue to grow in my faith and accompany others who are trying to do the same. My husband, Deacon Terry, and I have been married for more than 45 years. We have three adult children and three grandchildren with whom we enjoy spending time. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve for the first time as a OLPH School Board member.

My name is Jose Lopez, and I attended Catholic school from kindergarten through 12th grade, graduating from Bishop Alemany High School, where I met my wife. From a young age, I was taught the values of faith, discipline and community service, which shaped my path in life. At 22, I joined law enforcement to give back to the community and make a meaningful impact. Throughout my career, I have dedicated myself to protecting and serving others with integrity and commitment. My journey has been guided by a strong sense of duty, family and the belief in making a difference.

After serving 55 years in Catholic education, I am now in my fourth year as a retiree. However, education has been and always will be my life and passion, and that is what led me to serve on the OLPH School Board, now entering my third year as a member. I began my career teaching high school mathematics but quickly segued into positions of administration. I have served in the dioceses of New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Los Angeles as an elementary school principal, a high school principal and president, college dean of students, and culminating my career as an assistant superintendent of high schools at the Department of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. I am actively engaged on three other boards, including the Board of Bishop Conaty-Our Lady of Loretto High School in Los Angeles, where I was principal for 15 years. As an OLPH School Board member, my goal is to continue to build on the strong Catholic educational foundation of our school whereby our students not only learn the lessons taught within the walls of their classrooms but also learn those intangible lessons of life based on their deep faith in God that will extend beyond the walls of OLPH Catholic School to become the blueprint for their lives.

My name is Karen Murray, and I have lived in the Santa Clarita Valley since 1964. My husband and I, married for 44 years, raised our four children and have seven grandchildren. I was confirmed at Our Lady of Perpetual Help and married at St. Clare’s. Before retiring, I managed the bookkeeping at John Murray Plumbing and worked in the Special Education Department at Sulphur Springs School District. I have enjoyed volunteering for various organizations, including Vacation Bible School, Religious Education and Confirmation, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Michael Hoefflin Foundation, and Carousel Ranch. I am also a proud grandparent of five children enrolled at Our Lady of Perpetual Help School.

My name is John Murray, and I moved to the Santa Clarita Valley in 1972. I have made significant contributions to my community as a business owner, Boy Scout leader, Confirmation teacher, and volunteer with various local charities and organizations. I have a project-oriented mindset and take great pride in seeing projects through to completion. I am a proud husband, having been married for 44 years, and I am the father of four and a grandfather to seven and counting!