Introducing Michael Hall, New Superintendent of Schools
Mr. Hall started on July 1, 2025 and is excited to meet the Granville community.
To get things started, here is a brief Q&A with Mr. Hall to get-acquainted and learn more about his collaborative vision for our schools.
Please complete the brief survey at the end of this Q&A to share your Granville CSD pride and frustrations (yes, both!) with Mr. Hall.
What drew you to Granville CSD?
After 21 years in education, working for Granville feels like a homecoming for me. I grew up in Lake Luzerne, a small, rural town so I know what it’s like to live, work and grow up in a town much like Granville - the challenges and the strengths.
For the past six years, I was principal of Hoosick Falls High School, and much like Granville, it’s a tight-knit community, with hard-working people who are straight-talkers and I’ve always liked that.
To me, working in a district of this size, so close to my own home in Greenwich, NY will allow me to get involved in the way I had always hoped to and create roots in the community.
I want the Granville staff, students and community to know that when they see me out in the community or walking down a school hall, that I hope that they can feel welcome to say hi, ask a quick question and yes, even share an opinion with me.
Whether I’m at Stewart's, or grabbing lunch in town or at a school event, please say hello. That’s one of the best parts of working in a rural district - meeting people who care about their community.
Do you have a vision for the district?
I really hope to make this district a place everyone wants to be a part of. I want our staff to be excited about coming to work. I want our students to find their place here - whether that’s academics, sports, arts or whatever their interests are.
While it’s unrealistic to make the district a one-size-fits-all experience, with a diverse curriculum, activities and extracurriculars and a good partnership with our families and community, we can get our students excited about getting to class and engaged with what we have to offer.
Every student has something that they’re interested in. If we find that hook, we can improve their attendance and when attendance improves, students can take advantage of the opportunities we have to offer like free job training, free college classes, clubs, sports and more.
Make no mistake, we can’t do this without families invested in their student’s education and the community's engagement. We only have students for about 6 hours a day and about 180 days per year. The rest of the time they are with families and their community.
We need everyone working together and pulling in the same direction so when our students enter our schools they are ready to participate, learn and take advantage of opportunities they need to succeed in life. We have great things to offer at Granville CSD.
What can the school community expect from your leadership style?
When I was interviewing for the superintendent position, I was asked how to summarize my leadership style in only one word and collaborative was my word of choice. In my experience, people won’t do well unless they understand why they’re doing it and actually believe in what they’re doing.
Prior to making a big decision, I like to do my research and hear from people in the field. Be it the professionals on our staff or neighbors in the community. This isn’t necessarily about shared decision making per say, but it ensures I get the input I need to pick the best path forward and that everyone feels heard and considered.
What would you say to families who have concerns about school culture and problematic behaviors?
Everything starts with culture. It’s something everyone in the schools can feel and feed off, and so it’s important to set a clear and consistent response to both positive and negative behaviors.
Public schools are not here to just teach academics. We are here to also provide learning and practice on how to be a good citizen and be respectful to each other.
We need families and the community to work with us on this. We can’t do it alone, simply because we don’t have enough hours of the day and students spend more time with their families and in their community. It’s just not possible to do our job well without family and community involvement. However, if the district, families and community work together, the sky’s the limit.
That said, please consider giving our schools a fresh start. I am meeting everyone for the first time and I love a clean slate (perhaps that’s the teacher in me). You can rest assured that I will be offering a clean slate for everyone as well.
School families are hearing a lot about funding cuts in education lately, particularly at the federal level. What advice do you have for our school community as we navigate these challenges?
We want you to know that we are closely watching any changes and planning ahead to make sure our school continues to meet the needs of our students.
This also includes adapting to all of the factors that impact the school budget such as enrollment, staffing and changing student needs.
One simple and important way families can help with education funding is by filling out the NYS Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application (also called the Household Income Application).
This form does much more than just help with free or reduced-price meals. It helps our school:
Qualify for more education funding
Get fee waivers for SATs, college applications, school trips, and more
Better understand what our community needs
Even if your child doesn’t need free meals, filling out the form helps all students in our school.
Here’s the form:
NYS Free and Reduced Price School Meals Application (PDF)
We’ll also be mailing a copy to every family soon.
If you’d like to turn it in early, you can send or drop it off in a sealed envelope at the main office of the Jr/Sr High.
What’s something people might be surprised to learn about you?
I’ve built three quarters of my house with my own hands! I love DIY work and being my family’s resident handyman and landscaper.
I married into a farm family in Greenwich, NY, so whenever I do have free time, I’m on the dairy farm helping out with the cows too.
I have two teenage sons, both at Greenwich High School, and with one working full-time at the family farm this summer.
As a parent, I’ve led the youth sports commission in my town for years and will be passing the baton to our local community as I spend more time in Granville. My wife, Laurie, is a school social worker at BOCES Alternative Learning.
My family values being part of our communities - at work and at home.
I intend to give this my all and I look forward to meeting our students, their families and local community members.
What’s Next?
Mr. Hall wants to hear from you!
Families and community members, please complete Mr. Hall's brief survey by August 18th, 2025
For Families: Here is the link to Mr. Hall’s survey for school families.
For Community Members: Here is the link to Mr. Hall’s survey for community members.
Teachers and students will also receive the same survey at the beginning of the school year, when they are back in school.
Thank you!
RESOURCES
May 2025 - Here is the link to the Board of Education's May 2025 appointment of Mr. Hall
January 2025 - Here is the invitation to offer community feedback during the superintendent search.
January 2025 - Mr. McGurl announces retirement. Here is Mr. McGurl's retirement Q&A in the Spring 2025 GCSD Newsletter.