Saranya Sureshkumar is excited to be joining Grant Elementary School this year as an interim principal! She is looking forward to collaborating and working with staff, families, students and community partners this Fall. This is Saranya’s 11th year as an educator. She spent the first seven years of her career as a classroom teacher in Florida, Oregon and Massachusetts and the last three years as a behavioral coach and instructional coach in San Francisco Unified in the Mission and SOMA neighborhoods. Saranya is also Petaluma City Schools’ Elementary Summer School principal this year. 

Saranya attended University of Central Florida for her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and Columbia University’s Teachers College for her masters degree in Psychology in Education. Saranya believes in educating and nurturing the whole child with an emphasis on supporting students’ social and emotional needs. Saranya is also deeply committed to equity and breaking down barriers for our most marginalized students and bridging the achievement gap. On a personal note, Saranya and her fiance moved to Petaluma recently from San Francisco and are enjoying all that Sonoma County has to offer. They are looking forward to planting roots and building community here in Petaluma. When she is not busy working, Saranya enjoys reading at coffee shops, practicing yoga, going on nature walks and being present with life as it unfolds.

This is Amanda Grey's fourth year as the Principal of Grant Elementary School and she is thrilled to be a back! She brings 16 years of experience in education and camp directing in Marin County and is currently a resident of San Rafael. She attended Dominican University for her undergraduate degree and teaching credential program and earned her administrative credential and masters degree from San Francisco State University.  Her passion for education and community building guide her leadership style and she believes that elementary school is a formative time in the lives of children that should be treated with great care. When Amanda is not at Grant, she can be found serving on the Marin Women's Commission in Marin County, organizing an annual teen girl conference to empower local young women, and teaching improvisation.