Carney named interim principal at Grafton High

Assistant Principal Kevin Carney will be the interim principal at Grafton High School following the retirement of Principal Jim Pignataro at the end of this month, Superintendent of Schools Jay Cummings announced Wednesday morning.

Carney was hired as interim assistant principal prior to the pandemic in 2020 after a two-year stint as a partner in The Education Alliance consulting firm.

“I am confident that Kevin will provide stability and guidance to the GHS community as we bounce back from the challenges of the past year and a half,” Cummings said.

Carney has 20 years of school and district leadership experience and notably served as superintendent of the Uxbridge Public Schools between 2012-2018. Previously, he was director of education at the Doctor Franklin Perkins School after working in Ashland as an assistant principal and principal for a decade.

Pignataro is retiring at the end of this month after 34 years at Grafton High School, starting as a social studies teacher before moving into administration. “Mr. Pig” has been principal since 2005.

On Tuesday, Pignataro was honored by the School Committee, which announced the Grafton High School gym would be named in his honor.