School Committee names new superintendent

The Canton Public School System has its new educational leader, and he is “totally on board and totally excited,” according to School Committee Chairman Reuki Schutt.

After conducting their last batch of public interviews Thursday night, committee members wasted no time in naming Jeff Granatino, currently the interim superintendent in nearby Norwood, as their unanimous choice to succeed Dr. John D’Auria as Canton’s superintendent of schools.

Schutt telephoned Granatino shortly after the committee’s hour-long deliberation Friday night, and she said it was one of those calls where she could just tell that he was smiling on the other end.

Schutt, for the record, was smiling too.

“We’re feeling really, really good about him,” she said in a follow-up interview Sunday, describing Granatino as “vibrant,” “passionate,” and as someone who “loves kids.”

It must have shown during the brief visit he made to Canton on March 18 because the Canton students who met with him provided “a lot of positive feedback,” which factored into the School Committee’s decision, Schutt said.

At the same time, she said they did not allow any one voice to sway their decision, but instead relied on a “whole wealth of information” from a variety of sources as well as their own assessment of the school system’s needs to determine the best candidate for the job.

And after a thorough evaluation of all four finalists, Schutt said it became a matter of choosing between two of them — Granatino and Dr. Anne Wilson, a former teacher and administrator in California who is currently the assistant superintendent in Brookline.

“Both of them were excellent choices,” she said. “It was a difficult decision, but we’re really excited about [our choice].”

Schutt acknowledged that Granatino comes with less experience than what Canton is perhaps used to; however, she said he has “really skyrocketed” through the administrative ranks and become a “shooting star” following a relatively brief teaching career.

Granatino’s longest stint as an administrator was at Bridgewater-Raynham High School, where he served as principal from 2004 to 2009 before accepting an assistant superintendent position in Norwood. He then became interim superintendent in September after acting superintendent John Moretti abruptly resigned.

He previously served as a vice principal in Milton and as a vice principal and athletic director in Scituate. He also taught English and social studies in the Hull and Hingham school systems.

“While he may be newer, his personality traits are such that he will seek out help in the areas where he will be learning and growing,” Schutt said, adding that he has a “high energy level and enthusiasm” as well as “great insight and great educational vision.”

Although Granatino’s appointment will not become official until a contract is finalized, Schutt said she is confident that he will be an excellent fit with the Canton school system for many years to come.

“I have a dream that he’s going to learn with us and grow with us, and become beloved by us,” she said.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Apr 1 2010. Filed under News, Schools. Both comments and pings are currently closed.