President of NEA of Rhode Island to retire later this year

CRANSTON, R.I. (WLNE) — The president of the National Educational Association Rhode Island is stepping down later this year.

Lawrence Purtill made the announcement Thursday his last day will be on December 30, 2022.

Purtill will have completed 23 years as president of the organization upon his retirement. He was a vice president for 13 years. Before the NEARI, he taught history in Exeter-West Greenwich for 22 years.

Current Vice President, Sen. Valerie Lawson will take his place until May 2023.

Purtill showed a great amount of gratitude for the work he’s put in for over four decades.

“I feel so fortunate to have dedicated my career to Rhode Island’s education and labor communities for the last 45 years,” he said. “Teaching history was incredibly rewarding, and I loved being in the classroom. Serving as president of NEARI allowed me to have a broader impact on the lives of Rhode Island’s students from Pre-K through college by advocating for legislation and programs to make public education better now and into the future. It has been my great honor to represent the 12,000 active and retired members of NEARI. Our union is strong, and I have full faith that strength will continue under Val Lawson’s leadership.”

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