The Derby Board of Education hired a Valley native to take over as leader of Bradley School.
Christine DiGrazia, an Ansonia resident who lived in Derby for 20 years, was approved by the board at a special meeting Monday evening.
She will make about $115,000 a year, and expects to start by the end of December.
“My heart’s always been in the Valley,” said DiGrazia, who has spent the past seven years working in Meriden schools. “I’ve always wanted to work here.”
DiGrazia is currently the Instructional Associate at the Thomas Hooker Elementary School in Meriden. The position is similar to an assistant principal, DiGrazia said.
The Bradley School principal’s position became open this summer, when long-time Derby educator Linda Coppola, retired to take a position as the principal at St. Mary – St. Michael School in Derby.
‘The Long Run’
DiGrazia was among 47 candidates. A search committee interviewed 11, and visited the current schools of the top two candidates.
DiGrazia stood out because of her personality, and her Valley roots, said Paula Mastropetre, co-president of the Bradley PTA and a member of the search committee.
“I liked her because she was from the Valley,” Mastropetre said. “I thought she’d be committed. I could tell she wants to be here for the long run.”
Superintendent Stephen Tracy said DiGrazia “has a clear sense of what high quality instruction looks like.”
He said that DiGrazia took the extra step to help students in Meriden. For example, Tracy said, she took Spanish classes to be able to better communicate with the Spanish-speaking population in her district.
“I thought that was a sign of her respect for the families and the community,” Tracy said.
Sentinel Gal
Nothing says you’re from the Valley like having worked at the old Evening Sentinel, the newspaper from which the Valley Indy takes its name.
Before her days as an educator, DiGrazia worked in newspapers — including a stint as a reporter for the Evening Sentinel.
She also worked for the New Haven Register and the Stamford Advocate during her 25-year career.
DiGrazia said it was during her time in newspaper management, when she would visit schools to talk with students for the Newspapers in Education Program, that she decided to make a career change.
“The students were so enthusiastic,” DiGrazia said.
She went back to school, got her masters degree in elementary education and started teaching fourth grade.
DiGrazia also has a certificate of advanced study in administrative leadership from the University of Bridgeport.
“Teaching and being an administrator is just as exciting, challenging and rewarding” as newspapers, DiGrazia said.
DiGrazia said the first couple months at work, she plans to spend her time listening to teachers, parents and district officials about what they need.
“I will spend a lot of time monitoring the staff, seeing what their goals are,” DiGrazia said. “I think it’s important right now to just listen.”
