Familiar faces take over at Petaluma Junior High and Grant

Two newly named principals in the Petaluma City Schools district are not really new to the schools they will now be leading.

Ray McClintock takes over at Petaluma Junior High School. He has served as assistant principal at Petaluma Junior High for the last two years.

Gone is the “interim” from Saranya Sureshkumar’s title at Grant Elementary School as she becomes the official principal. Sureshkumar has served this year as interim principal for Grant.

Before that, McClintock spent six years as a social science teacher at Terra Linda High School in San Rafael, where he was the lead teacher for the Marin School of Environmental Leadership. McClintock also served as athletic director at Petaluma for three years.

McClintock graduated with distinction from Sonoma State University with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He then earned his single subject teaching credential and master’s in education from UC Davis. He earned his administrative credential and master’s in education administration from the Marin Leadership Institute of San Francisco State University.

McClintock is a born and raised Petaluman. He is a product of Petaluma City Schools and attended McKinley School, Kenilworth Junior High School and Casa Grande High School.

His wife, Lyndsay, is a teacher at Penngrove Elementary School. They live with their 3-year-old daughter, Delilah, and are expecting their second child this fall. In their spare time, they love gathering with family and friends, and seeing students and families out and about in Petaluma.

McClintock said he is looking forward to building on the tradition of Petaluma Junior High School and will continue to prioritize relationships with students, staff and families as he takes over the role of principal next year.

He said his immediate goals include expanding elective offerings and activities and working on bridging programs between Petaluma Junior High School and Petaluma High School to increase unique learning opportunities for students.

Saranya Sureshkumar

Gone is the “interim” from Saranya Sureshkumar’s title at Grant Elementary School as she becomes the official principal. Sureshkumar has served this year as interim principal for Grant.

Sureshkumar comes to her position with 11 years of experience in education. She spent the first seven years of her career as a classroom teacher in Florida, Oregon and Massachusetts. She worked the next three years as a behavioral coach and instructional coach in San Francisco Unified in the Mission and SOMA neighborhoods.

Sureshkumar joined the Petaluma City Schools district last year as an elementary teacher at McDowell Elementary School and served as the summer school principal in 2022.

Sureshkumar began this year as an administrative intern and was immediately assigned as Grant’s interim principal.

She lived in India until the age of 4, when she moved to the United States. Growing up, she enjoyed moving around the country while her father completed his medical residency. After high school, she attended University of Central Florida for her undergraduate degree in elementary education, and Columbia University’s Teachers College for her master’s degree in psychology in education.

Sureshkumar and her husband, Dan, live in downtown Petaluma. When she is not at Grant, she enjoys reading, practicing yoga, playing with her puppy, and spending time with family and friends.

Katie Pisciotta

In the school district administration, Katie Pisciotta has been appointed an administrative intern for secondary. Pisciotta grew up in Southern California playing lacrosse in high school and then again in college at Sonoma State University.

While at Sonoma State, Pisciotta met her husband, Chris, and the couple moved back to Southern California to start their family. Three years ago, she relocated back to Sonoma County with her husband and their two children. Her son Zac is now 6 years old and is a kindergartener at Penngrove School. Hayley is 4, and will be attending transition kindergarten at Penngrove next year.

Pisciotta received her bachelor’s degree in literary analysis from Sonoma State and her master’s degree in teaching from USC. She began her teaching career at Lawndale High School in 2013 where she worked as an English teacher, curriculum lead, and dean.

Pisciotta joined the Casa Grande High School staff in 2020 as an English teacher and later took on the roles of activities director, co-department chair, and journalism advisor.

As the administrative intern for secondary, Pisciotta is looking forward to building relationships with students, staff and families throughout Petaluma. Pisciotta hopes to be an effective advocate and support for district teachers.

Pisciotta lives in Rohnert Park with her family.