Keith Oliveira will be stepping down as Providence School Board President at the end of the month.
A long term educator is stepping down as President of the Providence School Board — and is slated to replaced by one of the city and state’s top lobbyists.
In a letter highly critical of the administration of Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, school board president Keith Oliveira announced his intention this week to resign at the end of the month - and school board member and lobbyist Nick Hemond confirmed with GoLocal he has the votes to replace Oliveira.
“Everyone knows exactly the type of “dirty politics" being played during this unfortunate sudden resignation. Our Mayor has to be receiving bad insight because it didn't take rocket science see that all Keith Oliveira wanted was "One Providence". This administration is out of touch with the city it has swore to serve,” said Night Vision founder and community organizer Kobi Dennis.
“This issue is bigger than Keith Oliveira's resignation because this abrupt resignation will effect thousands while unraveling the work that has been accomplished under his leadership. From representing our entire State at the White House, shaking hands with President Obama to visiting students at a local school shaking hands with future presidents, Keith Oliveira deserved a better send off,” said Dennis.
Providence parent Kira Greene, who is member of the search committee for the next Providence Superintendent said she “didn’t know where to begin” with the announcement.
“There are so many things wrong with how our City operates our public schools. Anyone who has spoken in front of the school board over the last 10 years and seen the blank stares returned can relate. In my time as a public school parent, advocating for students and our schools, I have only met one school board member who was able to push past the layers of bureaucracy and have a real conversation, that was Keith,” said Greene.
“When Keith spoke up regarding the Mayor's budget, it actually gave me hope - not just for our schools but for our Mayor... could he respect the need for such advocacy and discourse? We do not have a lobbying body for the children of Providence. Keith's voice was smart, focused and no-nonsense. He always had students needs first, this was apparent. He made it clear he was in this position for the right reasons,” said Greene. “The same can't be said for every other school board member who voted in favor of the Mayor's budget to level - fund the City's school for yet another year.”
Nick Hemond says he has the votes to be the next School Board President.
School board member Nick Hemond spoke about the development on Tuesday.
“I’m disappointed in [Oliveira’s] decision to resign. He's been an effective board President, he and I put together a team four years ago, even before I was on the executive board. We've been good friends, and we’ve overcome a lot of obstacles,” said Hemond. “I’m going to miss working with him. I think it's an unfortunate turn of events, and it is what it is. Six years is a long time to be on the board."
Hemond said that he has the votes to be the next school board president. In December, GoLocal had reported that Hemond was angling for the spot.
“I have spoken with my colleagues, and I have the votes to be president,” said Hemond, who said he didn’t agree with Oliveira’s characterization of the Elorza Administration as interfering with board affairs.
“We’re accountable to the students and community, but we’re also accountable to the Mayor and City Council. We have to fit into the structure of government — we’re half the budget,” said Hemond. “To say there won't be discussion between the board and council, board and mayor-- that's not productive. We have a lot to work on, and a lot to go on, moving forward.”
The Mayor’s office sidestepped the allegations of interference put forth in the letter by Oliveira -- and claimed Oliveira stepped down because he knew he would be beat.
“The Mayor believes that strong collaboration amongst everyone in the City is essential to moving Providence Schools forward. Mr. Oliveira’s decision to resign ahead of the apparent loss of his leadership role is unfortunate,” said Elorza spokesperson Evan England. “The Mayor has accepted his resignation and looks forward to continuing to work collaboratively with the School Board to make the reforms necessary to make Providence Schools the best they can be.”
City Council President Luis Aponte said he was disappointed with Oliveira’s decision, but “wished him well.”
“The challenges facing our schools are real and substantial, and whoever takes over will have a lot of work ahead of them,” said Aponte. “Having steady leadership is the biggest issue this board will address. We’ve have had a revolving door of Superintendents — we need to establish stable leadership.”
Parents on Oliveira
Providence parents reacted Tuesday to the news of Oliveira’s impending departure.
“I don't know much about Keith, but I always felt like he had a fire in him,” said parent Meghan O’Connor. “Like he was out there fighting for the best for all our students. When I had trouble with the bus last year (it was repeatedly picking my son up late in the morning, and arriving late to school, and then was late dropping him off - over 2 hours late one day) I went to speak at the school board meeting. I never got the feeling that Keith was there to make friends, he was there to make progress. I could feel that he took my disappointment and frustration and made it his own. It saddens me to see him leave, and worries me about who might take his place.”
Another parent expressed concern about "Providence politics."
“I’ve always wanted my child to stay in the public school system [versus] private school; but Providence politics get in the way of even that. I was a public school kid and turned out just fine, and I want her to experience a neighborhood school, but I'm leaning more and more towards taking her out because I feel like the very well meaning educators at the public schools are fighting an uphill battle against a brick wall,” said Providence parent Aimee Kelley Sherman. “Let's keep talking about it!”
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Jacqueline M. Walsh School for the Performing and Visual Arts
2014 Rank: #33
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Claim to Fame: Famous alumni include Ernie DiGregorio (basketball player, played for the PC Friars and holds the NBA assist record for a single game with 25. He was also the 1973-74 NBA Rookie of the Year).
Claim to Fame: Students have the opportunity to work in The Confucius Classroom, a public educational institute established in collaboration with the Confucius Institute at Bryant University under the sponsorship of Hanban. The classroom is dedicated to developing globally competent students through an understanding Chinese culture, language, and economic trends.
Claim to Fame: Former RI Governors who attended Classical are John Orlando Pastore (Also a US Senator), Bruce Sundlun, and Frank Licht.
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Claim to Fame: Scituate High School’s “Schools for Schools” club has raised thousands of dollars for Invisible Children to help Uganda defeat the children soldier crisis there.
Claim to Fame: The school is heated entirely by recycled wood chips in order to preserve the environment. The school also sports an Energy Lab that enables students to develop career pathways in stem agriculture. Their colors are green, and so is their mindset.
Claim to Fame: Middletown High School has enacted a specific Professional Learning Community in 2013, a program geared to make fundamental shift from focusing on teaching to an area of learning where students and teachers collaborate.
Claim to Fame: Famous alumni include Dr. Thomas DiPaola (Education leader in RI), Henry Nardone, Sr. (Member of URI Foundation, RI Board of Regents), Dennis Algiere (Current RI Senate Minority Leader), Dr. John Toscano, (Chairman of Dept. of Chemistry at Johns Hopkins University), Daryl Finizio (Lawyer, New London Mayoral candidate, Westerly City Council), Peter Lewiss (RI State rep, judge, lawyer) Diana Blanda (Actress/Singer).
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