A New Voice At Granville Elementary School
As the school year winds down for students at Granville Elementary School, the year is just beginning in many ways for new Principal Ananda Donohue.
Mrs. Donohue takes over for Cara Talmadge, who is the new Director of Pupil personnel for the Granville Central School District. She most recently was the Assistant Principal at Green Mountain Union High School in Vermont, and is excited to be part of the Golden Horde family.
“It’s an exciting time to be part of this district, and the warm welcome I’ve already received from the entire community is truly special,” said Mrs. Donohue. “Working closely with Mrs. Talmadge throughout this process has been a huge benefit. She is a resource that I can lean on and working collaboratively with her will ensure a smooth transition in leadership.”
One of the first tasks Mrs. Donohue had on her list was holding meet and greets with each class at GES. She sat down with students and their teachers to better get to know each other, and students were able to ask her questions about what she’s done previously and what she’s like outside of school.
Mrs. Donohue is also holding one-on-one meetings with teachers to better understand their goals moving forward. She believes one of her best qualities is building relationships and finding common ground to help make the school a better place for everyone. She’s also focused on making sure the student population doesn’t feel overlooked when it comes to discussing ideas and plans for the future. It’s clear Mrs. Donohue has made building relationships a top priority, which will help create a positive and mutually beneficial culture for students and staff.
“One of my goals is to find ways to create constructive partnerships where student goals and teacher goals are meeting on the same path. I want our students to understand that GES is their school, too, and they are the reason we are here. I also want our teachers to feel comfortable with me so that they can talk to me about anything that is on their mind, whether it’s an issue that is coming up or if it’s an idea that could help everyone in a different way. My door is always open.”
Between now and the end of the year, Mrs. Donohue says she will continue to get more comfortable in her new surroundings.
“I’ve had so much fun getting to know everybody and getting to meet so many members of our community,” Mrs. Donohue said. “From someone saying hi to me in the hallway or stopping by my office, it has been such a welcoming experience. I’m excited to hit the ground running at the start of the new school year next fall and help make the upcoming school year special for everyone.”
Next on Mrs. Donohue’s list - continuing to build bridges with members of the community.
“I encourage parents to be an active part of what makes Granville Elementary School such an incredible learning environment,” said Mrs. Donohue. “I’ve already met with the Parent Teacher Organization and will open up time in my schedule to meet with parents individually. I believe deeply in building and maintaining strong community partnerships, and I’m eager to find ways to build on top of the foundation that’s already been built here in Granville. I am honored to be the new Granville Elementary School principal.”