New Principal Takes Over At Grasso Tech

Ella T. Grasso-Southeastern Technical High School in Groton will have a new principal this year.

Patrica Feeney, former assistant principal at Howell Cheney Technical High School in Manchester, was hired July 30. She takes over for Scott Zito, who transferred to Eli Whitney Technical High School in Hamden.

Feeney, who was busy in her office Thursday, said her first order of business is preparing for the school year. She said she’s looking forward to the work ahead.

“After being an assistant principal for quite a few years, I felt like I would like the challenge of being a principal,” she said.

Feeney lives in Plainfield, spent seven years at Cheney Tech, and previously taught eighth grade at Plainfield Central School, a middle school. Prior to her work at Plainfield, she spent six years as a kindergarten and first grade teacher in Chaplin.

She has a master’s degree in reading from Eastern Connecticut State University and a sixth-year degree in educational administration from Sacred Heart University.

She’ll be introducing herself to freshmen and other students on the first day of school.

As principal, she said her goal is to improve academic performance, technical education and the school climate.

“I’ve heard a lot of good things about Grasso,” she said. “They do wonderful things for the families, for the community and I want to continue that,” she said. “I want to build on that.”

Grasso combines academics with programs that teach technical skills such as automotive technology, carpentry and drafting. The school offers 11 technical areas of study, college credit in some instances and advanced placement classes in English, history, science and art.