NORWICH – On Jan. 3, Kisten Giglio will be able to drop “interim” from her title as secondary assistant principal at the Norwich Middle School. The district’s board of education approved Giglio’s appointment to the position Monday night, for a three-year probationary period.
“I’m very fortunate that Kisten is able to step into this role,” said Secondary Principal Lisa Schuchman.
According to Schuchman, Giglio has made “tremendous gains” since she stepped into the interim position on Aug. 1. She’s also already forged bonds with the middle school’s students and their parents.
“The kids look up to her,” she said. “She’s done an amazing job the last three months.”
Giglio, who has now completed the requirements for her administrative certificate and is awaiting her final certification, replaces outgoing administrator Patricia Giltner, who retired on Sept.1. Her salary will be $70,850, an increase from the $57,531 she received in her previous capacity with the district.
“I’m very happy to see (another of) our own teachers contribute to the district as an administrator,” said Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan.
The superintendent had nothing but praise for Giglio, who has been with the district for 14 years, first as a teacher and then as a teacher on special assignment before beginning her administrative internship.
According to O’Sullivan, Giglio was recognized as Teacher of the Year four years ago. In recent years, she has received “extensive” staff development in teacher coaching in the areas of both math and English, he added.
He also credits Giglio’s work as a teacher on special assignment as helping to lay the groundwork for the district’s future long-term success.
“She was a key contributor to developing the benchmarking system which the commissioner of education recently reviewed,” O’Sullivan reported.
Giglio and her husband Tony, also a teacher at Norwich, live in the district with their children.