John Vallino is both principal and sixth-grade teacher at DeSoto Grade School. As principal, he works closely with the faculty at Southern Illinois University to keep his staff abreast of useful educational innovations. He directed the creation of learner objectives and a staff development plan for the district. He personally recruits parents as partners in classes and for extracurricular programs. As a teacher, Mr. Vallino strives to be the kind of instructor he knows his principal would appreciate, focusing on the students' individual needs and doing whatever he can to help them learn. Among the honors Mr. Vallino has received is the Those Who Excel Award.
