In this episode of Achieving Joy and Mastery in Public Schools, host Dr. Brian Graham sits down with Dr. Donna DeSiato, President of NYSCOSS and Superintendent of the East Syracuse Minoa Central School District.

Dr. DeSiato shares her district’s visionary journey from traditional, industrial-age models of schooling to future-focused, student-centered learning. She highlights the power of strategic planning, project-based learning, STEM ecosystems, and authentic pathways like aviation and computer science that prepare students for their futures—not ours.

The conversation also explores how partnerships with business, higher education, and government fuel innovation, and how the upcoming NYSCOSS Fall Leadership Conference will challenge superintendents to lead boldly, embrace inquiry, and create agile, future-ready school systems.

Listeners will walk away inspired by Dr. DeSiato’s message: superintendents are not just stewards of schools—they are architects of the future, leading and learning at the pace of change.

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