The Malone Central School District Board of Education appointed veteran educator Dr. John Gratto as the Interim Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at its meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 24.
Following a 23-year career as a Superintendent of Schools and 10-years as a Professor of Educational Leadership at Virginia Tech, Dr. Gratto is currently serving as an educational consultant for the STEM Teacher Education and School Strengthening program. That USAID funded project is to implement a principal preparation and evaluation program for STEM schools in Egypt. He is also a Superintendent of Schools Search Consultant for McPherson and Jacobson and a facilitator of Custom Board of Education retreats for the New York State School Boards Association.
Dr. Gratto will fill the position held by Dustin Relation, who was hired as the superintendent in Beekmantown Central School District. His first day in the district is Monday, Sept. 30. “I am excited to welcome Dr. Gratto to Malone, and to have his expertise as part of our leadership team,” said Superintendent of Schools Brandon Pelkey, “He brings significant experience and world perspective to our district, which will benefit our students and staff tremendously.”
Dr. Gratto started his administrative career as a K-12 Principal/Assistant Superintendent of Schools at Worcester (NY) Central School. From there, he went on to serve as a Superintendent of Schools for the next 23 years in five districts across New York State.
From 2012-2022, Dr. Gratto was an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at Virginia Tech. In addition, he was a U.S. Fulbright Scholar from March-June 2022, teaching in the Department of Pedagogy at University of Zadar, Croatia.
Dr. Gratto holds a doctorate degree in Education Administration from the Teachers College of Columbia University as well as Master’s degrees in Counseling and Education Administration from SUNY Plattsburgh. He is also the author of the book; “Inside the Schoolhouse: What Great Principals Know and Do."
Dr. Gratto was appointed to a one-year term in the district, until June 30, 2025. During the current school year, the Board of Education intends to conduct a thorough search for a permanent Assistant Superintendent, and if an individual is secured, Dr. Gratto will mentor the person in the position until the end of his contract.