About Us

About our Superintendent

Dr. William Crankshaw is the Superintendent of the Greater Johnstown School District.

A graduate of Johnstown High School, Dr. Crankshaw began his education career teaching music for a year in the Fort Plain Central School District. After serving in Fort Plain, he taught 7th-12th grade music in Johnstown for 14 years, and was the music department’s co-chair, followed by three years as a music educator in the Canajoharie Central School District. He started his administrative career as principal of the Glebe Street Elementary School, where he served for four years before being named Elementary Principal, Director of Elementary Curriculum and Instruction and Committee on Special Education Chairperson in the Northville Central School District.

In 2013, he was named Superintendent of the Remsen Central School District and served as Superintendent in Cooperstown from 2016-2020. In 2020 he was selected by the Greater Johnstown School District Board of Education to be Superintendent of GJSD.

“Coming home is meaningful – one thing I’ve learned in my career is that meaningful investment in a community one is passionate about is critical, I couldn’t be happier or more honored to return to Johnstown to work along-side its passionate educators on behalf of students.”

Dr. William Crankshaw

Dr. Crankshaw received a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Ithaca College and a master’s in Music Education from The College of Saint Rose. He earned his school administrative credentials at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and a doctorate in educational leadership from the Sage Graduate School.

Crankshaw lives in Johnstowne and is an active member of the greater community. He serves as a board member of Lexington’s Transitions program, is a member of Rotary International, is an advisor for the Caroga Arts Collective, and is the executive committee chairperson for the Capital Area School Development Association.

About our Schools

The Greater Johnstown School District will provide the essential educational resources that support a fully engaged culture of continuous improvement and diverse, high-quality academic opportunities that equip students with the knowledge, skills and abilities they need to be contributing citizens in a stronger society.

The Greater Johnstown School District Mission Statement

The school district consists of five buildings:

• Pleasant Avenue Elementary (Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st grade)
• Warren Street Elementary (2nd, 3rd and 4th grades)
• Knox Middle School (5th, 6th and 7th grades)
• Johnstown High School (8th through 12th grades)
• Glebe Street School, which hosts the HFM BOCES Regional PTECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School).

All of our buildings are carefully maintained, with well-equipped media centers and computer labs. The Knox complex boasts the venerable Knox Field, an interscholastic stadium featuring lights and a field turf surface, suitable for a wide variety of athletic events. Johnstown Senior High School hosts the district’s indoor pool, lighted tennis courts and the Johnstown Performing Arts Center, a stunning, modern, state-of-the-art auditorium for musical and theatrical events.

Capital Project Improvements

Just like a home, school facilities need regular attention and upkeep to continue to operate year after year as originally intended. Capital Improvement Projects are a strategic way for school districts to complete a larger amount of facilities work sooner than otherwise possible within the scope of the annual school budget.

Learn about what we’re doing to improve the experiences for our students, staff and visitors on the Capital Improvement Projects page.