Asst. Supt., Cole Asst. Principal Resign

Asst. Supt. Paula Dillon has taken a position in Barrington; Cole's Vin Varrecchione has been named the new Cranston AD.

Asst. Supt. Paula Dillon has taken a job in the Barrington schools and Cole Middle School Asst. Principal Vin Varrecchione is being considered for the job as the new athletic director for Cranston. Both have resigned, prompting a late-summer shuffle in East Greenwich. At a special School Committee meeting Tuesday, Aug. 21, the School Committee is expected to name an interim assistant principal for Cole. There is no word yet on a replacement for Dillon. According to School Committee Chair Deidre Gifford, the district only learned of Dillon's departure on Wednesday. Dillon's last day is Sept. 4. Dillon started in East Greenwich as a special education teacher at East Greenwich High School. Her first administrative post was as special …

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[POLL] Do EG Schools Have Unfair Advantage?

A story in RI Future compares EGSD's investigation into getting iPads for all high schoolers with Central Falls' textbook deficit.

Calling it "another sign of the increasing education disparity between Rhode Island’s affluent suburban towns and its economically challenged inner cities," RI Future, a progressive local website, ran a story Tuesday noting that while the EG School Committee is exploring the idea of outfitting every high school student with an iPad, Central Falls doesn't have enough textbooks to go around. Central Falls Supt. Fran Gallo says in the story students will sometimes share the same text books and teachers "will stagger homework assignments so that each class can take the textbooks home at different times during the semester." “I don’t disagree with you that there should be a better statewide technology funding program," EG School Committee …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Education Reform Needs Public's Attention: Forum Tonight!

Tonight's session – on pairing needs of students with the talents of teachers – is the first of four being offered by the EGSD. School Committee members want you to be there.

Tonight, the East Greenwich School Department will host the first of a series of four public meetings, titled the “Excellence in Education Forums.” This week’s subject is: “Aligning Educator Talent with Student Need.” Anyone interested in public education, particularly parents of children in the schools, should plan to attend. Here’s why: The adage that “all politics is local” is particularly true in public education. While the broad outlines for our educational initiatives and curriculum are a result of federal and state directives, local school committees have the specific responsibility for setting district policy, for negotiating collective bargaining agreements, and for hiring and evaluating the Superintendent of schools. All of …

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Schools Tech Director Job Still Vacant Six Months After Resignation

Twice now candidates have dropped out of the running; more interviews planned this week.

When Jerry Nettik retired June 30 from his job as director of technology for the EG School Department, Supt. Victor Mercurio said he would be re-evaluating the position before hiring a replacement. Six months later, the position is still vacant and, after a second candidate withdrew in December, interviews must start again. “He went to pursue a different opportunity,” Mercurio said Friday about the most recent candidate. Neither candidate offered an explanation, according to the superintendent. The hiring committee met on Friday and could start again with interviews as early as this week, he said. “We have some folks who had applied originally that we were somewhat interested in. We’re going to have them come back and interview some of …

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