Meet the New Principal: Grant Middle School’s Doug Kasouf

The Syracuse City School District is pleased to introduce Doug Kasouf, the new Principal of Grant Middle School! Read the interview below to learn more about Mr. Kasouf.

Tell us a little about yourself and your background. 

I grew up in North Syracuse and have lived here my whole life. I went to Niagara University and received a BA in English and a Masters in EDU. I received my CAS in Leadership from Syracuse University. I started in the SCSD in 2008 at formerly Fowler High School, now PSLA as an ELA teacher. From 2014-2017, I was an AI and VP at Grant, and from 2017-2021, I was the VP at Clary Middle School.

What is your favorite thing about Syracuse? 

The thing I love most about Syracuse is the diversity and the culture the city represents. I love that we have people from all backgrounds and it is evident throughout our city. I love the way the culture is depicted through our restaurants and festivals. I also love how this city really gets to experience all four seasons every year.

What is your favorite thing about being a school administrator? 

My favorite thing about being an administrator is, along with my team, leading the charge for improvement, for student success, and assisting in helping them getting prepared for high school and then college or a career. The constant work, researching, innovation, and teaching to find what works best for our students is what drives me. The world is constantly changing and so are our students. So the quest to find ways to achieve and improve ourselves as well as our students is exciting.

What is your greatest hope for your school? 

The greatest hope for my school is that everyone improves from September to June, both academically and emotionally. That we are all better people in June than we were in September. That if you walk in to Grant you see that we are all pulling in the same direction and that we are all striving for the same goal. That you see the respect we have for one another across the board. That we are a family who supports each other and who encourages taking chances and innovation.

What are you most looking forward to about the 2021-22 school year? 

The thing I look forward to most is a traditional year of school which we haven’t had in quite some time. Classrooms full of children ready to learn and reach new heights. I look forward to contributing to building a community with the staff and students that makes Grant the place to be.