Committee announced to develop five-year strategic plan for elementary and secondary schools

PROVIDENCE – The Council on Elementary and Secondary Education last week selected 26 Rhode Islanders to serve on the Ambassador Design Team, which will create the next five-year strategic plan for elementary and secondary education in the state.
Patrick A. Guida, chair of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education, said the design team that was selected “represents much of what is great about both our state and our educational system.”
“It is highly racially, ethnically and linguistically diverse. It includes people with many different educational and professional experiences. It includes people who have been educated internationally and people who have received all of their education in our public institutions. It includes elected officials, business people and representatives of post-secondary education. And, perhaps most important, it includes students, parents and educators from throughout our state,” Guida said in a statement.
About 300 Rhode Islanders submitted applications to join the team, with 156 completing the application process.
Guida said everyone who applied will be invited to join the process in another capacity.
Deborah A. Gist, commissioner of elementary and secondary education, said, “I believe that the plan this team develops will guide our work and inspire us as we continue to transform education in Rhode Island.”

The team will start meeting this month; its goal is to present the plan to the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education in June for approval.
The team will base its work in part on the results of a public education survey, which is underway and will run through the end of the year. A link to the survey is here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2BSZ7L6s.

The survey is available in six languages in addition to English, and all Rhode Islanders are encouraged to participate.

The design team comprises two groups: a core team of 12 members, who will conduct research toward development of the strategic plan, and an extended team of 14 members, who will engage in school visits, outside research, reading, and other activities to support the core team’s work.

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David Moscarelli, the 2015 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year, and Jeremiah Newell, a doctoral student in education leadership at Harvard University doing a residency at RIDE, will facilitate meetings of the design team.
Members of the core team are: Michael Barnes, superintendent of schools, Foster-Glocester Regional Schools; Colleen Crotteau, teacher of English learners, Newport Public Schools; Doris De Los Santos, executive director, partnership, development & community engagement, Providence Public Schools; Adam Flynn, assistant director, Title I Coordinator, William M. Davies Jr., Career and Technical High School; Mike Grey, vice president of operations, Northeast Region, Sodexho School Services, member of Governor’s Workforce Board; Candace Harper, family engagement coordinator, College Crusade of Rhode Island; Yolanda Nazario, world-languages teacher, Lincoln Public Schools; Brian Rowe, North Smithfield High School student; John Santangelo, mathematics teacher and vice-president of the Cranston Teachers’ Alliance; Earl N. Smith III, assistant dean – student affairs, University of Rhode Island; and state Rep. Lisa P. Tomasso, D-Coventry. Another student representative will be announced.
Extended team members are:

Brian Baldizar, assistant principal, Classical High School, Providence; Ana W. Barraza, adult basic education instructor, Providence; Dana Borelli-Murray, executive director, Highlander Institute; S. Kai Cameron, facilitator for community partnerships, Providence Public Schools; Christopher Haskins, head of Paul Cuffee School; North Kingstown School Committee member Robert Jones; Piedade Lemos, world languages teacher, Providence Public Schools; Tiverton teachers president Amy Mullen; Tyler Nettleton, Chariho High School student; Jeannine Nota-Masse, assistant superintendent, Cranston School Department; Jo-Ann Schofield, co-chair, The Mentoring Partnership; Chris Semonelli, co-director Newport County Mentor/Co-Op Group; and Andrea J. Spas, assistant director of special education, Chariho Regional School District. One student member will be announced.

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