New Interim Superintendent Visits Providence Schools
PROVIDENCE, RI (WLNE) – Providence’s Interim Superintendent Dr. Frances Gallo stopped by three schools on Thursday to visit summer learning programs, as well as a workshop for teacher development.
Dr. Gallo was appointed by the Providence School Board on Wednesday night and is only expecting to hold the position for about 90 days.
Dr. Gallo’s first day on the job, she stopped by Young Wood Elementary, DelSesto Middle School, and Classical High School to get a peak at the student learning environment, teacher development, and conditions in the school.
This comes as a state takeover is looming, after a scathing report from Johns Hopkins University outlined schools with terrible building conditions, with reports of mice and mold, a lack of teacher professional development, and extremely poor test scores.
Conditions inside the three schools were rather clean, but Dr. Gallo admits that other buildings within the district cannot say the same.
“We’re already saying very clearly our schools need work. Nobody is denying that and we’re working really hard to fix it,” she said. “We have nothing to hide.”
Dr. Gallo was joined by Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza, and he said that the city has a comprehensive plan in place to not only fix the schools long-term, but have everything ready to go by the time Summer is over.
“We’re going to be leveraging $278 million worth of improvements in our schools over the next five years,” Mayor Elorza said. “Our main goal is to make sure schools are ready to go on Sept. 3.”
After observing the learning workshops for students at the elementary and middle schools, Dr. Gallo headed to Classical High School as teachers were in a professional development workshop, something the report criticized.
“We have these three, four, sometimes five weeks of professional development in the summer. Currently in this building we have one hundred teachers,” she said. “The teachers are the answer for the Providence schools.”
Dr. Gallo and Mayor Elorza admit that other schools are in worse shape. Reporters were not allowed in those schools Thursday, as they said they are currently work zones.
City officials said the media will be invited to those schools in the near future.
