“Si tienes la oportunidad de hacer el bien y no lo haces, estás perdiendo tu tiempo en la Tierra.”
"If you have a chance to accomplish something that will make things better, and you don't do it, you are wasting your time on this earth."
- Roberto Clemente Walker
Dr. Giovanna Claudio-Cotto embodies servant leadership, “leadership that is tough enough to demand a great deal from everyone, and leadership that is tender enough to encourage the heart,” (Thomas Sergiovanni). Beginning her educational leadership journey under the late Crystal Boling Barton at McKinley High School, Dr. Claudio-Cotto worked with the 2016 Cohort from 9th Grade to 12th Grade, implementing various academic and social emotional supports to reach the highest graduation rate in recent times, 84%.
In July 2020, Dr. Claudio-Cotto was appointed as Principal of Frederick Law Olmsted at Kensington, while pursuing an Ed. D. in Educational Leadership and Policy at the University at Buffalo. Her dissertation, The Intricacies of Teacher Beliefs and How They Influence the Teaching of Mathematics to High School Students with Disabilities (2023), centered on analyzing the support given to students with special needs in mathematics courses. Her research led to changes in course offerings, teacher pairings and professional development, increasing access to upper-level math courses and equipping teachers to appropriately meet students’ needs.
Dr. Claudio-Cotto’s work at Olmsted builds upon Edward de Bono’s, Six Thinking Hats, infusing elements of giftedness and using data to monitor student progress. This work coupled with a focus on Culturally and Linguistically responsive techniques, has created a robust educational program where graduating seniors can attain up to 40 college credits through dual enrollment classes.
Leading in a time of COVID and beyond, Dr. Claudio-Cotto has partnered with local, state, and national entities to address students’ social emotional needs, bringing supports into the school building to ensure students have access to programs. The Yellow Tulip Club, Autism Infinite, and the Cinematography Club are just a few examples of efforts aimed to empower Olmsted’s OWLs (Outstanding Work-Focused Leaders) to develop their own voice and become contributing citizens of today’s society.
As a Regional Director and Communications Director of the New York State Association for Latino Administrators and Superintendents, Dr. Claudio-Cotto promotes best practices, professional learning, communication, and networking to support the growing Latino community throughout New York State.
