Rhode Island Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green has asked for the resignation of Providence Superintendent Harrison Peters, who was tasked with leading the district through the state’s takeover of the city’s school system. The request comes after days of public scrutiny and criticism of school district leaders for the hiring of a top administrator, Olayinka Alege, […]
Education
Posted inArticle, Education, Metro Desk
Pandemic takes toll on R.I. home-based child care providers
Home-based child care providers in Rhode Island faced increased costs, declining enrollments and closures during the pandemic, on top of long-standing staffing and pay issues. That worries advocates concerned about an already fragile, but vital support service in often-underserved communities.
Posted inArticle, Education
Rhode Island begins disbursing latest round of federal money for child care
The Rhode Island Department of Human Services began accepting applications for child care stabilization fund grants at the end of March. Already, the state has awarded more than $4.5-million to more than 300 providers, according to a DHS spokesperson.
Posted inArticle, Education
R.I. colleges and universities plan to put federal stimulus towards student financial aid
Rhode Island public colleges and universities are set to receive $90 million in federal stimulus money to help with COVID-19 related costs. The latest coronavirus stimulus relief package approved in early March will give the University of Rhode Island roughly $30 million, Rhode Island College just under $22 million and the Community College of Rhode […]
Posted inArticle, Education
Marc Parlange will return to Rhode Island to take the helm at URI at a pivotal moment
The University of Rhode Island Board of Trustees unanimously voted to appoint Marc Parlange as the school’s next president Monday evening. Parlange was born in Providence, and currently serves as provost at Monash University in Melbourne University in Melbourne, the largest university in the country. “My life and career have taken me around the world, […]
Posted inArticle, Education, South Coast Bureau
South Coast elementary schools bringing students back full time
Massachusetts’ school reopening plan begins with the state’s youngest students, requiring school districts to offer five days of in-person learning per week to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The policy took effect on Monday. Middle schools serving sixth, seventh and eighth graders will fully reopen later this month, on April 28. High schools are […]
Posted inArticle, Education, Health, Newport Bureau
‘Constant COVID-brain’: Newport’s school nurses describe the stress of keeping students, teachers safe during a pandemic
More than 90 students and teachers in Newport’s school buildings have tested positive for the coronavirus since September, and more than 900 have been told to quarantine. Much of the responsibility, and stress, of tracing potential exposures has fallen to the district’s four school nurse teachers.
Posted inArticle, Education, Health
URI increases COVID-19 testing for students in fraternities and sororities, citing high volume of cases
The University of Rhode Island has begun testing Greek life members weekly because of the high number of COVID-19 cases in fraternities and sororities. During the first week of March, the university reported almost 200 cases of the coronavirus. Of these, 70% were among students in Greek chapters. In response, university administrators ordered students in […]
Posted inArticle, Education, Newport Bureau
Salve Regina University works to better support LGBTQ+ students, as Vatican disappoints
Last week, the Vatican declared that priests cannot bless same-sex unions, crushing many Catholics’ hopes for greater inclusivity in the Church. But at Salve Regina University, a school with a long Catholic tradition, students and faculty are moving forward with efforts to make its campus a more accepting place for the LGBTQ+ community.
Posted inArticle, Education, Metro Desk
Providence teachers union votes ‘no confidence’ in state and district leaders, as contract negotiations near the one year mark
More than 1,500 members cast a “no-confidence” vote in the leadership of Superintendent Harrison Peters and State Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, with twelve voting against, according to Providence Teachers Union Vice President Jeremy Sencer. Infante-Green and Peters are leading the state-backed effort to transform the state’s largest district. While the “no-confidence” vote changes little materially […]
