PROVIDENCE – Providence Business News has announced seven organizations and one individual winner in its new Diversity & Inclusion Awards program, who will be honored during the paper’s annual summit on the topic Dec. 5 from 8-11 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Providence-Warwick… Read Full Article
Rhode Island League of Charter Schools is accepting proposals for the food service management of NSLP to begin 8/1/2018. Bids are due 7/20/2018 to 275 Westminster St, Ste 315, Providence, RI 02903 by 10:00am. Pre-bid meeting will be held on 7/9/18 at 10am at Paul Cuffee School, 459 Promenade St, Providence, RI. Contact clare@sfwgroup.org for a copy of the RFP and to RSVP.
By Keith A. Oliviera
Posted Jan 23, 2018 at 6:31 PM
Updated Jan 24, 2018 at 9:07 AM
I read with interest Chariho Superintendent Barry Ricci’s Jan. 11 Commentary piece, “Choice costs too much,” which explains his desire to put a “pause” on public education choice is Rhode Island. My response: Tell that to the families of the 15,000 students that applied to enroll in public charter schools last year.
The fact is, Rhode Island families want choice and it is purely self-serving for Superintendent Ricci to suggest otherwise. There are literally thousands of Rhode Island families that believe traditional public schools do not respond to the needs of their children.
They want schools that not only deliver a high-quality educational program but also schools where their children feels safe, supported and part of a welcoming community of learners. They want schools that are innovative and explore different avenues of teaching and learning. Above all else, families want the opportunity to choose an educational environment that best fits the needs of their children.
For many Rhode Island families, particularly low-income families of color, that is difficult to find in traditional public schools. Continue reading “My Turn: Keith A. Oliviera: Ignoring 15,000 desperate R.I. families”
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
These are Rhode Islanders who impacted the White House, the State House, the courthouse — and your house.
They led, transformed, and were assigned to clean up financial and political catastrophes. Each of the 17 impacted 2017 in many ways that were unforeseen. The economy showed signs of life driven by incentives and innovation, but Rhode Island also faced a range of challenges. The UHIP failure, which left thousands of the neediest without benefits along with the St. Joseph pension fund collapse are both dramatic and heartbreaking episodes that carry into the new year. Continue reading “Go Local Prov: 17 Who Made a Difference in RI in 2017”
Our 18 schools serve the public, are open to the public, funded by the public and held accountable to the public. We enroll students through a fair and transparent lottery system, which is open to all students, including many from low income, diverse communities. We are free to be innovative and are held accountable for improved student achievement. We have flexibility around how we spend our resources and run our programs, helping us explore best practices and share them with both charter and traditional public schools.
Whether we’re working with traditional public school leaders or a team of teachers is working collaboratively within their own department, we are always seeking new ways to improve student achievement. We work closely with families and community partners, providing invaluable educational experiences for students that don’t end once students leave their classrooms.
We teach differently because we know that students learn differently. We find innovative approaches to each lesson and we don’t stop until we know what works. We are striving every day to close the achievement gap in our public schools and have shown strong results on state testing and other measures of success.
