In her world, which was dominated by boys and men, union leader and retired principal Frances DiFiore was a standout. She says, “My mother always knew I was going to be the boss.”
Born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, Fran Giuliano was the third of four children and the only girl. Little did she know that she would marry a man who had only brothers and that they would have three sons together.
From the start, she wanted to be a teacher, but her parents discouraged her because they feared she would be penniless and living with them forever. They were hard workers, her father a mason, her mother a senior pension analyst at Aetna. Aside from their powerful work ethic, their Catholicism engendered in them an intense social conscience. Her mother had practically raised her younger brother and brought him into their home. They also took in an aunt and uncle.
At the University of Connecticut, Fran majored in economics and says, “I hated every minute of it.” So, after two years, she switched to elementary education and was much happier. Then, for a year after college, when there were no teaching jobs, she had no choice but to work in the loan department of a bank. She was 22 when she married Tom DiFiore, an elementary school teacher. “I envied Tom as he set off to teach every day,” she says.
Miraculously, she found a third-grade position at SAND Everywhere School, Hartford Public Schools. “Don’t ask me what SAND Everywhere means,” she laughs. After teaching at SAND for two years, she shared a teaching position for nine years with another young mother while raising Eric, T.J. and Daniel.
“I loved teaching elementary school,” she says. “I loved the kids, the interaction, their laughter. We were in an economically disadvantaged area, and they appreciated everything we did for them.”
Administration was always in the back of her mind. In 1997, she seized an opportunity to become vice principal at Bulkeley High School, “Yes, a high school,” where principal Paul Stringer would become her mentor for life. The next two years, she was the assistant principal at Weaver High School. After Weaver, she was tapped to become principal of West Middle Elementary School:
“I liked the job of principal a lot because you’re the queen of your castle. It’s up to you to implement change. You must initiate it and delegate. It’s all about shared leadership. If someone else is the master of something, I say go ahead and do it.”
In her five years leading West Middle, she initiated school improvement initiatives that resulted in the school being removed from the list of 28 schools identified by the state as being in need of improvement. She says, “It’s all about modeling that you’re willing to do anything to get the job done.”
By this time, she had her M.A. in special education and her sixth-year degree in educational leadership. She was also the state negotiator for the Connecticut Federation of School Administrators (CFSA). Very active in CFSA, Paul Stringer encouraged her to forge ahead. She attended the George Meany Center for Labor Studies in Silver Spring, Maryland. “It was an awesome week,” she recalls. “We lived in a dorm and hung out together.”
She says, “I have always been fascinated with the law, especially labor law. It was the wannabe lawyer in me that enjoyed the whole process of negotiations. I always enjoyed meeting new administrators from around the state of Connecticut and being able to assist them. Who is better than me to oversee negotiations because I am also an administrator. I understand their role.”
Next, she was appointed division director of the CREC Institute of Teaching and Learning, overseeing a staff responsible for professional development in curriculum and instruction for 35 districts.
Fran had to cease negotiating when, after five years at West Middle Elementary School, she became principal-in-residence for the Connecticut State Department of Education, serving in the School Improvement Unit, which provided training in the 16 schools identified as being in need of improvement under No Child Left Behind. She next became acting assistant superintendent, Hartford Public Schools, monitoring school achievement in 39 schools, which included elementary, middle, high and magnet schools.
“There is no way I could have done all this and been the parent of three boys without Tom,” she says. As a teacher, he had weekend and vacation flexibility. “Tom is the reason why I could do all that I did and still be active in the boys’ lives.”
All three of their sons were involved in sports and other activities and were strong students. Today, Eric is an attorney in New York City, T.J. is a financial planner, and Daniel is a licensed social worker.
From 2010 to 2021, Fran served as principal of Cromwell High School in Cromwell, Connecticut, and worked on her doctorate in educational leadership. As a principal, she was able to be a negotiator again and was glad of it.
Today, she is co-president of CFSA and active in AFSA, serving on the General Executive Board. She says, “AFSA sets the tone. I get lots of ideas from the national union, which I bring back to the State of Connecticut.”
When she’s not working, she is mostly with her three grandchildren — Charlie, 5, Leo, 3, and, at last, a girl, Aviana, 1.
Fran also loves going to movies. “Apollo 13” remains her favorite because it’s all about leadership and shared leadership. And that’s about mentorship, she points out. When reflecting on recruiting and retaining school leaders, she says, “Providing mentors to school leaders is the most important thing.” This year, Fran worked on a legislatively appointed committee to formalize a mentorship program for school and district leaders. She says, “This is a passion of mine. Never undersell mentoring. I had so many mentors, it’s the reason I was able to have success and longevity.”
