After being part of Worthington Christian for 43 years, Kraynak is ready for the next chapter
After 43 years of attending Worthington Christian School, Upper School principal Tim Kraynak (WC ’94) is preparing to “graduate.” Kraynak, a lifer at WC who went on to work in some capacity in the school system for the last 25 years, announced in January he was stepping down at the end of the school year to assume a job with Finish Line Ministries International.
When he leaves the school for the last time, Kraynak imagines he will feel like he is stepping into the unknown.
“I guess I won’t know until I’m on the other side, right?” Kraynak said. “I think there’s an element of … I don’t want to say fear, anxiety, or worry … but you just don’t know what you don’t know. Fortunately, we serve the God of the unknown.
“However, the abundantly clear thing is that the Lord is the one who opened this door. So many prayers were specifically answered. We’re just continuing to walk through those doors with confidence. Even though we may not know what the transition will be like or how life will change on the other side, we can trust the Lord is amidst all of it.”
In a letter to the staff, Dr. Mike Hayes, head of school, expressed his gratitude to Kraynak for his years of service.
“Unquestionably, Mr. Kraynak has had a significant and lasting influence on thousands of students’ lives through teaching, coaching, counseling, mentoring, and leading over the years,” Hayes wrote. “In the fall of 2023, our staff reflected on the school’s why statement and our personal why statements. Mr. Kraynak shared that he wanted to prepare students for their relationship with Jesus so that they could pursue their vocation and live a life of godly stewardship.
“WC is a richer school because of Mr. Kraynak’s service. Consequently, we want to express our appreciation for his committed service to our students, families, and staff for almost 25 years.”
Many teachers echoed Dr. Hayes’ words about what Kraynak has meant to the school.
Social Studies teacher and boys soccer coach Dan Roads called Kraynak, “a true Warrior for Christ.”
“Over the past two decades, he has faithfully stood tall in the face of an ever-changing educational landscape,” Roads said. “(He) fought for the hearts and minds of students against mainstream pressures and guided our faculty and staff through numerous challenges with humility and courage.”
“Tim’s investment in WC has been clear to me since I first came here back in 2015 (when Kraynak was an assistant principal),” added Dr. Joe Price, a Christian Studies teacher. “As principal, Tim has habitually prioritized what is best for the Upper School, and he has partnered with teachers, students, and parents in ways that build up the school community. Tim leads by word and action, and his care for WC students is evident from his high-level decisions and discussions I have had with him.”
Kraynak will be the Director of Development with Finish Line Ministries International, which lists its mission as “making a Gospel impact in the African nations of Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.” The ministry helps operate 338 churches in those three countries, including constructing 11 churches in remote villages. In addition to distributing Bibles, Bible studies, and supporting churches, Finish Line runs a 523-child orphanage/day school, a 211-student secondary school, and a 40-person vocational training college.
“In their 30-year existence, they’ve managed to do some pretty incredible things,” said Kraynak, who anticipates traveling to Africa at least three times a year, including a nine-day stint on June 9.
The principal admits he wasn’t looking to make a change.
“This was one of those instances where God orchestrated some things,” Kraynak said. “My oldest son, Ethan (WC ’21), wanted to take a father-son missionary trip to Africa this summer. (FLMI president Sean Patrick) reached out to me in early November and asked if I would be willing to sit down and talk. I had no idea what it would be about. I thought we were going to talk about that trip. Throughout our conversation, I figured out he was trying to gauge my interest in making a career move.”
Over the next two months, Kraynak and his wife Alicia (WC ’94) prayed for guidance before he accepted the position. One of Kraynak’s top considerations was whether his freshman twins, Eva and Eli (WC ’28), could complete their time at Worthington Christian.
“That was the biggest box that needed to be checked off,” he said. “I wasn’t going to make any move that would disrupt their ability to stay here at the school because of their friends and the great teachers.
“It was a very bittersweet moment. I’ve always said that at some point, my run at Worthington Christian’s going to come to an end. I just didn’t know when or how. Clearly, this was the Lord’s timing for me.”
A Lifer
Kraynak has spent more time at Worthington Christian than he has out of it. Kraynak is a lifer who attended his entire academic prep career at WC. He was a three-sport athlete, playing soccer, basketball, and baseball for the Warriors. He was a part of the boys basketball team’s first run to the Division IV state finals during the 93-94 season. The Warriors finished 22-6 overall, losing to McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 56-54 in the championship game.
Less than an hour after the final, Kraynak jumped into a school van and headed to St. Petersburg, Fla., for the baseball team’s spring break trip.
“Less than 24 hours later, we played our first game of the season,” Kraynak said.
Returning to His Alma Mater
After graduating from Worthington Christian, Kraynak attended Malone College for a year and returned to Columbus to attend Otterbein in 1999. After working for Huntington Bank briefly, he was hired to teach fifth-grade math and science at the elementary school and served as an assistant baseball coach. After three years, he became the varsity baseball coach, a position he held for 20 years. At the high school, he taught many classes, including government, economics, world history, physical education, health, and marriage and family classes. He then moved to an athletic director role for four years.
In 2010, Kraynak became the high school assistant principal and guidance counselor at WC, working directly with students and their families in an administrative role to support standardized testing, course selection, and college and career guidance. Kraynak then became principal when Buzz Inboden resigned from the position in 2021.
When he became principal, Kraynak knew he had to give up coaching baseball. After winning the MSL-Ohio coach of the year award, he resigned from the post.
“I loved coaching, but I had come to the realization that if I ever became the principal, I would not be able to be a full-time administrator and varsity coach,” he said. “The demands are just too great and I have too much respect, love, and appreciation for the school to have a divided interest.”
A Different Place
In many ways, Worthington Christian is a different place from the school Kraynak attended. For one thing, the high school is in a different location. The high school where he went is now the Lower School. The school is bigger and more diverse. Kraynak estimates that 90 percent of the students attended Grace Brethren Church when he attended the school.
“In 2025, we represent over 120 different churches,” Kraynak said. “We have a more diverse student population. I hope that we continue as we seek to create unity through diversity in the Kingdom of God.”
The most significant difference, however, is the level of expectation and pressure students feel.
“When I was in high school, we weren’t faced with as much pressure academically, socially, and athletically as kids are today,” he said. “In this fully digital generation, there’s more stress, more anxiety, and more depression because society requires so much of them in all areas of their lives.”
According to Kraynak, the staff’s commitment has remained the same.
“Years ago, I sat before the board and they asked me, ‘What things have changed the most and what has stayed the same since you graduated?’” Kraynak recalled. “I said, ‘The one thing that will always be a constant at Worthington Christian is that every faculty member, staff member, every coach has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. That is Worthington Christian Schools’ cornerstone, foundation, and building block.
“That is the one thing that makes us distinctly different and unique. We have all devoted our lives to being followers of Jesus. You’re just not going to get that at many other places. I have had the privilege to serve alongside remarkable, gifted people throughout my career. The one thing I will cherish about my time at WC is the lasting relationships the Lord has allowed me to develop. The teachers and coaches are the backbone of the school.”
A Fitting Tribute
Tim will be honored prior to the Warriors baseball game vs Bexley on Monday, May 5. Please join us at Penn Field at 5 p.m.