East Greenwich teachers vote ‘No Confidence’ in administration

EAST GREENWICH, Mass. (WLNE) — The East Greenwich Education Association said it has voted “no confidence” in both in Superintendent Brian Ricca and Assistant Superintendent Sarah Courtemanche-O’Brien.

The union said the vote was caused by “deep frustration over the administration’s lack of leadership and support,” including “unilateral decisions, a lack of transparency, and conflicting messages from leadership, all of which have contributed to burnout and low morale.”

“We are committed to student success, but we feel ignored and dismissed,” EGEA President Donna McPhee said. “It is demoralizing to receive policies and directives from an absent leadership team that disregards our professional input – leaders who don’t know our names, what we teach, or the history of our schools.”

Superintendent Ricca responded to the vote by saying that educators are the “backbone” of the district and that he is “working to ensure that [the] teachers feel supported, valued, and heard:”

The educators of East Greenwich are the backbone of our district, and I deeply respect and appreciate their dedication to our students. While the vote of no confidence is unfortunate, I am working to ensure that our teachers feel supported, valued, and heard. I have always been committed to open communication and collaboration, and that commitment has not changed.

We have made significant progress together—from the biggest pay increase our teachers have seen in more than a decade to advancing new state-of-the-art facility plans. My door has always been open, and I will continue working closely with our teachers to address concerns in a productive and forward-thinking way.

I am proud of what we have accomplished as a district, and I remain focused on our shared goal: providing the best possible education for our students. I look forward to continuing our work together with mutual respect and a focus on a path forward.

The union said members plan to speak during the public comment period of the school committee meeting on Feb. 25.