John Wolf is the new executive director of the San Miguel School in Providence. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1989 and served for five years as a surface warfare officer. He was a team leader for City Year Rhode Island and taught for five years at the San Miguel School before leaving to direct the Button Hole Golf Course. For the past 13 years, he has been teaching science and math, and coaching chess at the Highlander Charter School in Providence and at the Greene School in West Greenwich.
Wolf received a master’s degree in education administration from Providence College in 2014. He trained and served as an R.I. Department of Education beginning-teacher coach and remains intensely interested in solutions for effectively educating students living in poverty.
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PBN: After 20 years teaching and 15 years away from the San Miguel School, how do you feel being appointed executive director?
WOLF: It is an honor for me to come back to this incredible learning community. Having been here during my formative years in education, to return and see the mission in such great shape is amazing. I was blessed to have a chance to learn much about teaching and working with students from challenging backgrounds during my years away, and [to] have a chance to return to help lead the school forward is one of the best things that has happened in my life.
PBN: What are your top priorities in this role?
WOLF: The school has been fortunate in many ways over the past 24 years. The success here has been built by an incredible group of committed volunteers and staff, some of whom worked with me 15 years ago. My top priorities as director include continuing to build a sustainable future for the organization and ensuring that the Lasallian spirit continues to thrive. While fundraising is near to the top of any director’s list, sustainability isn’t solely financial. Helping retain and recruit high-quality teachers is core to any great school and finding creative ways to engage the hundreds of people interested in volunteering are paramount to long-term stability as well.
PBN: During your tenure at the school, what are the biggest successes celebrated by the San Miguel community?
WOLF: Since starting at San Miguel in July of 1997, the school community has strengthened greatly. We had really humble beginnings. Brother Lawrence Goyette opened the doors of four rented classrooms on Carter Street with a blessing from the Lasallian Brothers, a $40,000 grant and a few near-volunteer teachers. This place is an incredible example of what vision and a strong belief in the possible can produce. Since then, we’ve found our own building on Branch Avenue, have 13 full-time, highly qualified and committed staff and track the progress of over 300 graduates. Among our greatest successes are the men who return to our community from diverse walks of life to talk about the positive difference this place has had.
PBN: What are the biggest challenges that remain in providing high-quality education to the city of Providence’s youth?
WOLF: The challenge of urban education is an ongoing and daunting puzzle. The success of our school doesn’t happen by simply throwing money at the challenge of poverty. But, great learning communities are hard to run on a shoestring [budget] and attracting and retaining quality teachers requires competitive salaries.
There are many committed and highly qualified teachers in Providence’s public schools. One of the things that helps our school in the critical area of building school culture is our small size. With only 64 students each year, and with the Lasallian model calling to “know your students,” every adult has a really good idea about what inspires, encourages and challenges our boys.
PBN: San Miguel is a Lasallian school, formed on the principle of brotherhood. How will you follow those guidelines during your time as executive director?
WOLF: People frequently speak of nonrelatives as “brothers” when they have a deep concern for each other. In my time in the Navy, we learned to rely on shipmates like brothers. As teachers and leaders of young people, encouraging a “brotherhood” in a learning community makes perfect sense. To be in the business of education, and particularly educating students in and around poverty, I think it is a necessity to have a “where we go one, we go all” mentality. Brotherhood at San Miguel is literal, the boys are referred to as brothers and they know the brothers started the school. We all need a tribe that we belong to and that we care about. This is especially true in adolescence and doubly so when the growing up is in and around the scourge of poverty. Brotherhood here is being part of a big, sometimes goofy but always loving team.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is a staff writer for PBN. You can follow her on Twitter @FlashGowdey or contact her via email, gowdey-backus@pbn.com.
