THE 2023 WINTER NEWSLETTER

Superintendent’s Message

Budget Process
The Fiscal Year 2024 budget process is underway. Each department and principal will analyze
and prioritize their needs for next year. The budget requests should be aligned with the vision of
each department and school. The final recommended budget will be presented to the School
Committee on April 5 and 6. We encourage members of the community to attend these
meetings.

Innovation Space Proposals
The Warwick Public Schools has recently received approximately $584,000 through the 21st
Century Technology and Equipment Fund. These funds are to help schools and districts develop
high-quality learning spaces, which include innovative technology, learning resources, and
equipment. Therefore, rather than the district unilaterally deciding what is best for schools, we
requested proposals for innovative creative spaces for students. Many school principals, in
collaboration with members of their school communities, submitted proposals to be reviewed for
innovative spaces.

Learning Inside Out
The Rhode Island Department of Education has $7.5 million for schools to create outdoor
learning spaces. They are seeking proposals from schools that are interested in receiving
money from this competitive grant. Research shows that outdoor education is a powerful tool
that all schools can use to deliver instruction to their students. Outdoor education is an
alternate setting where students can receive instruction in a stimulating environment. There will
be opportunities to connect with nature and have hands-on opportunities to learn. Students
tend to have more motivation to learn in an outdoor environment.

SurveyWorks
The SurveyWorks window opened on January 17 and runs until March 31. The Warwick School
Department values the feedback of students, parents, and staff. This survey focuses on school
culture and climate. We are asking all stakeholders to complete this brief survey to tell us about
their experiences with their school. To ensure that we continue to provide high-quality, rigorous
learning experiences that meet the needs of our learners and prepare them for college and
careers, we need your feedback. The SurveyWorks results inform schools what successful
things that they are doing and the areas where improvement is needed. Each principal will be
sending out more information and a specific timeline for when the surveys will be implemented at
each school.

The Wellness Company will be hosting a Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic on Tuesday, January 31st
from 5:00 - 7:00 PM at Warwick Vets cafeteria.

From The CURRICULUM Department

Bright Spots Across the District with Test Scores
Congratulations on the growth that we made as a district and continue to make this year!
-Scott Elementary School went up over 10% proficiency in RICAS ELA this year
-Cedar Hill jumped 16% proficiency this year in RICAS Math
-Robertson jumped 19% in RICAS Math this year
-Scott went up 18% in RICAS Math this year
-Holliman went up 5% in RICAS Math this year
-Norwood went up 8% in RICAS Math this year
-Park went up 24% in RICAS Math this year
-Sherman went up 8% in RICAS Math this year
-Warwick Neck went up 6% in RICAS Math this year
-Wyman went up 8% in RICAS Math this year
-Veteran’s Middle School went up 9% in RICAS math this year
-Pilgrim went up 10% in SAT ELA this year
-Scott School is now a Four Star school!

Math Updates
Students will be participating in iReady Diagnostic Assessments for Math & Reading through
February 17th. We are excited to "officially" see how much our students have grown since the
beginning of the year.
Math Interventionists will be partaking in Math PD with math consultant Ann Elise Record the
week of Jan 17-20th. The focus is to dive deeper into Problem Types, Problem-Solving, and the
development of Math Night resources.

The High School has selected a new Math curriculum resource for various courses, officially
starting next school year - McGraw Hill's Reveal Math. This curriculum resource will also be
utilized by our 7th & 8th-grade honors programs at both Middle Schools.

ELA Updates
Elementary teachers are starting fresh with Module 2 in Wit and Wisdom. Thank you for all of
your hard work implementing this curricular resource this year!
Reading Specialists will be receiving additional PD days on Geodes and will be able to support
the Fundations/Geodes pairing in Wit and Wisdom.
The ELA middle school department has completed all of the scope & sequence documents and
the curriculum maps! Also at the middle school, students will now be given the same
end-of-unit assessment at both middle schools, which will count as a test grade. This is part of
our effort to make the same strategic academic moves across the district.

From The SECONDARY Schools

Pilgrim High School
As we come to the end of the first semester, Pilgrim has had much success and a productive
end of the term. Our chorus students performed at a superb level in tryouts for All-State Chorus.
We had 26 students selected to participate in the chorus, which is the most from any one high
school in the state. We held an Elective Fair last week and assisted the students in the course
requests process for the 2023-2024 school year.

Warwick Veterans Middle School
Representatives from Pilgrim High and the WACTC recently visited Vets Middle School to share
information about their respective programs with our 8th grade students, as our 8th graders
prepare to select classes for next year. We are just wrapping up iReady midyear assessments
and are in the midst of Access English Proficiency State Testing. One of our main priorities at
this time is securing the right candidate to fill our Assistant Principal position vacancy.

Toll Gate High School
Toll Gate has had great success giving back to our community over the last month and a half.
Adopt a family was in full swing. Stockings have been filled with much-needed supplies for the
Buffam Chase house. Our students have embraced giving back. A winter sports season is off to
a great start with tremendous fan attendance. Toll Gate just had our Winter pep rally which was
an outstanding success, with students decorating the gym to promote their class spirit. The
robotics team placed fourth in their first competition and qualified for the State
Championships in March. Toll Gate pride is everywhere!!!!!

Winman Middle School
Winman students will have a Winter Wonderland Dance on January 27, 2023. Winman
students showed kindness with their good deeds and kindness tree and were rewarded by the
Feinstein foundation. The Warwick CTC program and Toll Gate stopped by to meet and talk
with the 8th-grade students about the programs that they offer for the students to consider for
next year. During Admin common planning time (CPT), teachers have been working using
protocols from the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity.
Warwick Area Career and Technical Center
The Warwick Area Career and Technical Center has had an extremely busy January as
students prepare for their Mid-term examinations, many of which are performance-based in
which students utilize their industry-specific skills. Over the past several weeks, WACTC
students and staff have visited the Middle Schools to present and showcase our programs.
Additionally, we are currently preparing to host our WACTC Recruitment Open House on March
2 from 6:30-7:45 in an effort to keep our enrollments strong within the variety of programs we
offer.

From The ELEMENTARY Schools

Mrs. Cousineau -Director of Elementary Education

Happy New Year to all of our students, teachers, faculty members, and families! I hope that you
had a chance to enjoy some time with loved ones over the December break. It is officially
January and our elementary folks have hit the ground running! Our IReady Diagnostic window is
open and students have begun to take their ELA and Math assessments in class. This is a
snapshot in time of their performance but of course not our only source of data and we can’t
wait to see the improvements made since September.
More recently, our elementary report cards were sent home electronically on December 21,
2022. I used to review my daughters’ report cards with them and we would focus on the learner
characteristics section first. The academic areas will come with time, but I always felt that we
could support these areas at home. Be sure to reach out to your child’s teacher to set up a
parent/guardian conference if you have any questions about grades.
Lastly, our incredible teachers have been digging into our new Wit & Wisdom materials for ELA
and many hands-on activities and strategies in math. Be sure to have your child practice their

My Path minutes for ELA and Math after the IReady Diagnostic assessment is over. Research
has proven that just 10 minutes a day in each content area will help to improve their fluency in
these areas.
Thank you for your continued support. Here’s to a mild winter!

From The SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

We have lots of wonderful things happening in Special Services. We would like to take the time
to spotlight and promote the Warwick Special Education Advisory Committee.
Our Mission - We facilitate collaboration and communication between students, parents, staff,
the Warwick School Committee, and the community in order to promote inclusion,
understanding of, respect for, and support of all students with disabilities in our school
community.
Our purpose - We provide direct input to school district leaders about policies, programs,
practices, and services that impact students with disabilities and their families. We can help:
Our membership and Our committee - Includes parents, students, teachers, administrators,
school committee members, therapists, and anyone else with a concern for our children who
receive special education services.
Our Meeting Time - Our meetings are held at the Warwick Public Library on the last Wednesday
of every month. The confirmed date and meeting agendas are listed on the WSEAC Home
Page!
For more information, please contact us.
Special Services Director’s Office: 734-3051
Jennifer Cardillo, Co-Chairperson, jennifercardillowork@gmail.com
Bethany Hogan, Co-Chairperson, brhogan20@gmail.com

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING UPDATE

Kristin Murray, SEL Coordinator

I am pleased to announce that we have completed our first administration of the SEL Student
Surveys. We are grateful for the honest and thoughtful responses from our students. This

information will illustrate a more complete picture of our district’s learning culture. Our next
steps are to analyze our district information and support our schools in understanding their
results. If you would like to view the topics and questions from the survey, please click on the
link. Student Success & SEL Student Survey Update.pdf
HUMAN RESOURCES

The HR team and I wish the Warwick Schools Community a happy and healthy new year!
During the holiday break, we held our first-ever walk-in job fair recruitment event for new
substitutes in all areas. It was relatively well attended so we will look to do this again in the near
future. As we see upticks in the community of COVID, flu, and other contagious illnesses, we
want to build up our substitute reserve to ensure adequate staffing of our schools and programs.
In the event that we are unable to safely staff a classroom, we may have to consider closing that
room for the day in collaboration with the principal and the elementary and secondary directors.
This is the absolute last resort, however, I mention it so you are prepared in the event it has to
happen. I remain optimistic that this will not be necessary and thank the HR team for their
diligence in staffing the district each and every day.
There have been some changes to the COVID guidelines. Individuals are no longer considered
immune within 90 days of being positive. Reinfections are showing up within that time period
with the new strains that are circulating. Please continue to reach out to the
covidcoordinator@warwickschools.org for guidance if needed.

Updates From BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS

The Buildings and Grounds Department would like to welcome our new hires to the Warwick
Public Schools. We would also like to congratulate our employees that have transferred to new
positions.

New Hires
Dennis Grant
Stephen Forte
Angelo Piccirillo
James Hazard
Transfers
Eric Houle
William Burr
Jeffery Thornlimb
Al Desrosiers

THANK YOU for everyone's hard work and dedication over the past year

Updates From TECHNOLOGY

An important aspect of technology is its safe use. We just want to remind all
stakeholders of some important tips when using technology that could help keep our
students safe.
● Keep personal information private. DO NOT share passwords to any accounts
with any friends. Also never share your name, telephone number, birthdate,
address, school name, etc. when using the internet. If you get a request that
appears to be legit or official, be sure to ask parents, guardians, teachers, etc.
before sharing information.
● Remember that once you post something online or in an app, a copy is out there
forever. Be careful when posting anything online.
● Do not click on any links from anyone that you do not know and/or are not
expecting to receive. This could expose accounts, devices, networks, etc. to
cyber threats. If you are unsure, it is always best to ask a parent, guardian,
teacher, etc.
● Keep your devices (phones, tablets, Chromebooks, etc.) locked when not in use.
This combined with not sharing a passcode or a password will help ensure that
someone does not post something under your name.
These are just a few of the many tips that can help keep our students safe while online.
It is always our recommendation to continually remind students of the importance of
digital responsibility and citizenship. If there are ever any questions or concerns
surrounding this topic, never hesitate to reach out to the school or the District’s
Technology Department who will be able to point you in the right direction.

Updates From ATHLETICS

The Winter Sports season is now entering its second month and there are several Warwick
Sports Teams having success thus far.
At the high school level, both Pilgrim and Toll Gate sit atop the Division 3 standings in Girls
Basketball. Pilgrim has an 8-1 record and Toll Gate has a record of 7-2. One of Toll Gate’s
losses came courtesy of the Lady Patriots. Pilgrim won the first contest between these two city
rivals. The game was a tightly contested game until Pilgrim pulled away in the second half. The
final score was 46 -28. These two teams will meet again on February 7. The game will take
place at Pilgrim with a start time of 7 PM. This second match-up could very well determine who
wins the division championship. Faith Meade, Gianna Ramos, Amaya Coffie, and Jenna Madden
have been the top performers for the Lady Patriots. Brianlys Simono, Sydnee Perreault and
Amanda Preston has been instrumental in Lady Titan’s success.
The Warwick Boys Ice Hockey Coop is off to a strong start. They currently have a solid 4-2
record in league play. One of their exciting victories came against crosstown rival and perennial
powerhouse Bishop Hendricken. Warwick soundly defeated Bishop Hendricken by a score of
5-2. In addition to Warwick’s success with in-state competition, they have also had success with
out-of-state opponents. They have defeated two Division One opponents in Massachusetts and
tied the number two ranked team in Connecticut, Darian HS. The strong start indicates that
Warwick will be a serious contender in the State Championship Division this year. Warwick’s
Top offensive players have been Ryan Barlow, Richie Cavanagh, Charlie Clements, and Cooper
Grossguth. Ethan Pezzullo and Chris Schifino anchor a strong defensive unit. Jacob Pickering
and Sean Mullaney have been solid defensively from the forward position. Braxton Bragg, the
team’s starting goaltender has over a 900 saved goal percentage on the season.

A big part of the team’s success has been its fan base. Historically sports rivals, the Toll Gate and
Pilgrim fan base has combined to create quite a cheering section.

Further, the Pilgrim Gymnastic team is off to a solid start despite having only 7 participants.
They recently defeated Cranston West HS by a score of 129 -118.
At the middle school level, both Winman and Warwick Vets Wrestling Teams have had much
success. Winman took first place at the Cumberland Middle School Tournament this past
weekend and placed 3rd at the Birchwood Middle School Tournament in December. Their
record is currently 5 and 2. The Warwick Vets wrestling team is in 1st place with a record of 6-1. Their lone defeat was to Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School.

The Winman Boys Basketball team came together for one of their teammates in a time of need.
Their teammate and his family were displaced from their home due to a fire. The boys facilitated
a collection for them. They raised over $700 in cash as well as gift cards, clothes and other
items which they presented to the family. Ms. Christine Rayhill was instrumental in helping to
organize this fundraiser.
In health and safety-related news, the Warwick Public Schools Athletic Department has obtained four new automated external defibrillators. (AED’s). The Athletics Department at each school: Winman, Warwick Vets, Toll Gate, and Pilgrim have received one. The importance of AED’s at sporting events was never more evident than when Buffalo Bills Player Demar Hamlin suffered a cardiac event during a Monday Night Football Game. All Warwick coaches are trained on how to use an AED and perform CPR. Athletic Site Supervisors at each school will make sure all coaches are aware of where the defibrillator is located so it can be accessed in the event of an emergency.

On Wednesday, January 18, 2023, Kristina Keddie, the president of RIATA, presented Toll Gate
HS Representatives with a new portable AED. The AED was provided to the Toll Gate Athletic
Department through a grant provided by the Kory Stringer Institute.

From R to L. Director of Athletics: Ken Rix, Warwick Athletic Trainer: Wayne Rodrigues, Toll
Gate Principal: Candace Caluori, Kristina Kettle, and Athletic Site Supervisor: Bill Russo.
The Warwick Public Schools Athletic Department would like to recognize the ACT Foundation.
Many of the Warwick Public Schools Sports Teams were recipients of Grants that enabled the
teams to purchase some much-needed athletic equipment.
Lastly, Spring Sports Registrations will open during the second week of February. We encourage
all families to register their athletes early and submit all required paperwork as soon as possible.