An interim principal who has led a number of public elementary schools in lower Fairfield County in the past, including in New Canaan, will start Tuesday at East School, district officials say.
John Grasso
John Grasso will serve as interim principal of the Little Brook Road school through the end of this academic year, as Kris Woleck works into her new position as an assistant superintendent in New Fairfield, according to a press release issued by New Canaan Public Schools.
Grasso had retired in 2012 from the Greenwich district after serving as principal at Riverside School. Since then, he has served in interim positions throughout the county, including principal of Royale Elementary School in Darien from 2014 to 2016, Parkway Elementary School in Greenwich from 2016 to 2017, Hamilton Avenue STEM Magnet School in Greenwich from 2018 to 2019 and South School in New Canaan from 2019 to 2020.
The district is “incredibly fortunate” to have him back, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi said in the release.
“Throughout his career, John has been an exemplary leader for students, staff, and the community, and he is highly regarded in our field,” Luizzi said. “John was a fabulous interim principal at South School when Joanne Rocco retired, and I’m confident he’ll be equally outstanding as interim principal at East School. We’re thrilled to be welcoming him back to New Canaan.”
Grasso earned a bachelor’s degree from St. John University in Queens, N.Y., and a master’s in curriculum development from the City College of New York. He received a 6th year Administrator Certificate from Fairfield University, and his additional professional activities include The Arts and Passion Driven Learning at Harvard and The Writing Project at Columbia University Teachers College.