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Leadership Development Academy Graduates

The Rhode Island Association of School Committees recognized the graduates of their Leadership Development Academy at the 2007 Annual Meeting. James DiPrete of the Rhode Island Board of Regents presented the graduates with a special recognition certificate from the Regents.

The graduates are:

Patricia Archambault, Scituate; Allen Auclair, Woonsocket; Sally Black, Tiverton; Michael Crowley, Middletown; Robert Faria, East Providence; Liana Ferreira Fenton, Middletown; Anita McGuire-Forcier, Woonsocket; Jo Eva Gaines, Newport; Deborah Greifer, Cranston; June Guglielmi, Smithfield; Patrick Guida, Barrington; Jean Harnois, Smithfield; Jim Hassenfus, Barrington; Kelly Hunter, Foster/Glocester; Cathy Kaiser, Jamestown; Eileen Lovett, East Providence; Mary McClure, Providence; Sean McGarry, New Shoreham; Scott Mueller, South Kingstown; Lauraine Ouellette, Smithfield; Katherine Patenaude, Coventry; Mary Ann Roll, Lincoln; John Saviano, Bristol/Warren; Raymond Spear, Coventry; Louis Sposato, Westerly; Nancy Sprengelmeyer, Coventry; Margaret Stewart, Westerly; Alan Tenreiro, Pawtucket; Deborah Thurston, Barrington; Karlene Murray Toppin, Coventry; Marylou Umbriano, Coventry; Julie Zito, Lincoln.

Over 20 Districts Represented at RIASC's 2007
Legislative Workshop

RIASC members learned the latest on Rhode Island's Legislative front on Saturday, March 24. Tim Duffy reviewed the education legislation proposed by the Governor and RIASC and the Governor's education budget. Gary Sasse of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council was also on hand to brief members on the latest education funding plans. RIASC members who attended received two hours of professional development time through RIASC's Leadership Development Academy and received a cd- rom of the 2007 education legislation.

RIASC New Member Training

New school committee members recently met at the Crowne Plaza to attend RIASC's New Member Training. Seasoned school committee members and superintendents also attended to learn the latest revisions to the Ethics and Open Meetings Laws. Parliamentary Procedure, School Finance, and Roles and Responsibilities were also topics addressed throughout the day.

School Committee members who attended the New Member Training received five hours of professional development credit towards RIASC's Leadership Development Academy. Members completing 15 hours receive formal recognition by the Rhode Island Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education.

2007 New Member Training

School committee members review the NSBA's newly released version of Becoming a Better Board Member during the New Member Training session on Roles and Responsibilities.

RIASC New Member Training

Jason Gramitt of the Rhode Island Ethics Commission, briefs attendees on the recent changes to the Ethics law.

School Committee 101 - Roles and Responsibilities

Do you know that there is a Rhode Island law which governs the duties of school committee members? On Saturday, October 14, RIASC hosted a session for school committee members and candidates on their roles and responsibilities at which they discussed this law and other aspects of being a Rhode Island school committee member.

Attendees were also given the opportunity to ask questions and exchange ideas with a panel of seasoned professionals that included Tim Duffy, Executive Director of RIASC; Scott Mueller, Past President of RIASC and South Kingstown school committee member; Jean Harnois, Past President of RIASC and Chair of the Smithfield School Committee; Jo Eva Gaines, President of RIASC and member of the Newport School Committee; and Richard Scherza, Past Executive Director of RIASC and Superintendent of the Cranston Public Schools.

Tim Duffy addresses a question from a school committee candidate
at School Committee 101.

2006 ANNUAL MEETING

RIASC members from around the state gathered at Salve Regina University on May 13 for the 2006 Annual Meeting.

The day included discussion on Evaluating Your Superintendent, School Committee Self-Evaluation and the Superintendent's Contract. Also, our Immediate Past President, Scott Mueller presented a session on After School Programs.

Jo Eva Gaines of Newport was elected President of RIASC during the business meeting. Upon accepting her new role, she pledged to continue the good work of her predecessors. She also made a commitment to create opportunities for all of our education colleagues to work together toward our goal of enhancing student achievement and improving public education.

Congratulations Jo Eva!

20 YEAR AWARD RECIPIENTS

James DiPrete, Chair of the Board of Governors for Elementary & Secondary Education, presented RIASC's 20 Year Awards to five school committee members at a special reception during RIASC's Annual Meeting.

Recipients were:

Daniel Burns, West Warwick

Virginia "Jean" Harnois, Smithfield

Robert LaFleur, North Smithfield

Frank Pallotta, North Providence

Lorraine O'Connors, Foster/Glocester

RIASC commends these members for their dedicated service to their districts and Rhode Island's public school children.

2006 HOWARD KAY AWARD

The Annual Howard Kay Award for Outstanding School Committee Leadership was given to two very deserving school committee members-- Lorraine O'Connors of Foster/Glocester and Robert Watson of Scituate.

Lorraine and Bob have each served 30 years on their respective committees and have demonstrated strong leadership and deep commitment to public education.

Legislative Workshop 2006!

School Committee members statewide attended RIASC's 2006 Legislative Workshop.

Tim Duffy, RIASC's Executive Director and Lobbyist, conducted a Legislative Workshop for RIASC members on March 25, 2006.

Attendees at the Workshop were provided an overview of current education legislation and a guidebook and cdrom including all the bills in the current session.

After Tim's presentation, Senator Michael Lenihan gave a presentation on a proposed Constitutional Amendment capping the property tax levy at 4 percent. Gary Sasse of the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council spoke on RIPEC's RHODE ISLAND 2010 report, which outlines what Rhode Island might look like by 2010. The report details the impact selected demographic trends have on the Rhode Island state budget. The report also outlines what services will be required to meet projected needs and who will bear the greatest burden to finance these programs. Also, a plan for what needs to be done to address the problems is identified, including Tax and Spending Limitations and Entitlement Reform through cost effective and efficient service delivery.

If you caught the Channel 10 news later that day, you may have seen some of your fellow school committee members engaged in the workshop discussion.

School committee members received two hours of professional development credit for attending this workshop! To date, RIASC members have logged over 960 professional development hours.

Through their attendance at this workshop, members Jo Eva Gaines of Newport and Rosa Quinonez Crowley achieved their Professional Development Recognition status through RIASC's Leadership Development Academy!

Congratulations Jo Eva & Rosa!

Quarterly School Committee Chair Meeting
Over 23 school districts were represented at the March Quarterly Chair Meeting.

Attendees listened to a presentation by Ann Galligan, Executive Director of the Arts Learning Network. The Arts Network offers support to districts in meeting the new graduation portfolio requirement. Visit www.riartslearning.net to learn more.

Gary Ezovski, Chair of the North Smithfield school committee, asked attendees to come to consensus on "cost and quality issues" that Rhode Island school committee members can use as focal points.

Chairs and school committee members also engaged in a roundtable discussion at the conclusion of the meeting.

Negotiating Health Care Professional Development Event

Participants at RIASC's latest Professional Development event learned how to negotiate health care with regard to collective bargaining in their districts.

Superintendents and school committee members were able to return to their school districts with timely information and strategies to negotiate cost effective provisions in their teacher contracts with regard to health care.

The Presenters

Ron Cascione, Ben Scungio, and Andrew Henneous did a great job in presenting hands on approaches and providing all participants with concrete examples and ideas that they can apply in their negotiating sessions.

RIASC ANNUAL MEETING

The reviews are in and the Annual Meeting was a success! Attendees were provided with presentations related to the theme of the meeting: "Community Engagement--Partnerships for Student Achievement," along with materials to assist in creating or updating their district's policy for parental involvement.

Congratulations to the five school committee members who attended the Annual Meeting and completed over 15 hours of professional development through RIASC's Leadership Development Academy:

Patrick Guida of Barrington; Jean Harnois of Smithfield; Scott Mueller of South Kingstown; Nancy Sprengelmeyer of Coventry; and Deborah Thurston of Barrington

Howard Kay Award

Congratulations to Patrick Guida, Chair of the Barrington School Committee, the 2005 recipient of the Howard Kay Award. Anyone who knows Patrick is aware of his passion for public education and his efforts to do what's best for Rhode Island's public school students. He is a local and national advocate for public education. This Annual award is given to a school committee member who has exhibited outstanding service to their district and public education. The Howard Kay Award, named in honor of a RIASC past officer and community/public education advocate, was presented to Patrick at our Annual Meeting on April 30, 2005. Past recipients include: Cathy Kaiser of Jamestown; Deborah Melino-Wender of Newport; Frank Pallotta of North Providence, Virginia Jean Harnois, of Smithfield; Terri Adelman of Barrington; Jack Carroll of Burrillville; and Bill Potter of Coventry.

RI-ASC Discussion Group

The RI-ASC website includes a section entitled "Discussion Group." This allows members to pose questions or commence discussion on topics of interest. Visit the discussion group and get your questions answered or engage in a conversation with your colleagues throughout the state!