THE 2023 SPRING NEWSLETTER
Superintendent’s Message
April Vacation
I wish all staff and families a fun, restful, and healthy April Vacation which takes place April 10 - 14. There is also no school on Friday, April 7 in observance of Good Friday.
Local Education Agencies Accountability System
The Rhode Island Department of Education will be releasing a new accountability system for all school districts in Rhode Island. This system will be released to the public on Friday, April 7. Ratings for each district were determined by using the following indicators: student achievement, student growth, English Language proficiency, graduation rates, Commissioner’s Seal, post-secondary success, student absenteeism, suspensions, and exceeding expectations on state testing. Please review Warwick’s overall performance in Rhode Island's statewide accountability system. There will be more information shared about Warwick’s performance at a future School Committee Meeting.
Learning Inside Out Grants
Grants from seven elementary schools have been submitted to the RI Department of Education for the creation and enhancement of a variety of outdoor learning environments and schoolyard habitats to bring RI students outdoor experiential education. These spaces offer a variety of benefits and opportunities for students by providing a multitude of learning opportunities for students across many content areas. A hands-on approach to learning, helps the curriculum come alive and become more relevant. The schools whose grants were submitted are Wyman, Norwood, Hoxsie, Robertson, Greenwood, Cedar Hill, and Oakland Beach. We hope that many of these schools’ grant proposals will be funded.
Recognitions
The New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) Annual Master in the Middle Award was awarded to Dr. Catherine Hawthorne-Kocak.
The New England League of Middle Schools (NELMS) Annual A+Administrator Award was awarded to Adam Heywood
Dr. Sabrina Antonelli, Rhode Island Elementary Principal of the Year
Gary McCoombs, Principal of Hoxsie Elementary School awarded the 2023 Junior Achievement Educator of the Year
Marissa Hudson, Math and Computer Programming Teacher at Toll Gate, was awarded the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)
Pilgrim High School Division III Girls Basketball team won their State Championship
Governor’s Visit
Governor McKee recently visited Oakland Beach School to acknowledge the funding of grants to Oakland Beach and Norwood Schools. Warwick received $350,000 in grant funding for two initiatives. Oakland Beach Elementary School will be partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Warwick to increase STEAM instruction and the inclusion of MLL students. Norwood Elementary will also partner with the Gamm Theatre on the Norwood TLC Academy to provide theater arts applied learning, including healthy social and emotional development.
Safety Presentations for Families
Warwick School Department’s safety coordinator, Daniel Maggiacomo, has been visiting schools to make safety presentations. These presentations are held in the evening and are very informative. There are new safety and security protocols that are being shared with families. It is very important for parents and guardians to understand the various safety and security measures that are in place.
Fiscal Year 2024 Budget
Each school and department have completed their budgets for the next school year. A presentation will be made to school committee members at a meeting later this spring.
CURRICULUM
Curriculum Department Updates, March 2023
Great job, everyone! Our scores are up and we are getting national attention for the work that we are doing. We have been asked to be featured in EdWeek and Edutopia for our hard work and progress with student achievement.
Here are some screenshots of how our schools are doing with growth:
K-8 Reading in iReady - anything in the upper quadrants is positive for growth!
K-8 Math in iReady - lots of positive growth here, as well!
Please keep encouraging your students to work on MyPath. This has a big impact on how our students grow academically throughout the year.
For our high schools, we are also seeing growth trending in a positive direction. Last year our scores were trending down, but this year (although we have a slightly lower starting point) we are moving in the right direction!
Thank you to all of the teachers who have worked so diligently on the curriculum revision over the past two years. We are about 70% done with our HS/MS revision at this time. You can view all of the completed and approved courses here.
Keep up the great work, everyone. Your focus on student discourse and student achievement is really making a positive difference in our schools.
SECONDARY UPDATE
Recently at Pilgrim High School, we welcomed many parents and Central Administrators to participate in our Capstone Project Early Presentation date for our seniors. All 109 seniors who presented passed this graduation requirement and we are so proud of them. We had our annual Pilgrim's Got Talent event on the 9th and our Spring Fling dance on the 10th. March will continue to be a busy month as our Unified Basketball team will host Toll Gate in a school day event on the 21st at 10 am. We will also hold a Dodgeball Tournament and Powder Puff football game on the 23rd. Finally, we have two casts preparing for the spring play, Bloody Murder, which will open on the 31st.
The past month has been a very busy one for Toll Gate High School. We have had many playoff games, girls' basketball, indoor track, girls' hockey, and boys' hockey, and a great showing at the wrestling state and New England tournament. Our PTSO had a successful fundraiser at Chipotle. Our STAR scores are up and making great improvements. We have successfully completed XELLO lessons. The school play will take place on March 24th and 25th. We are looking forward to our first-ever Arts and Technology night, which will highlight our music and art department. This will take place on March 30, 2023, from 6 to 8 pm. All are welcome to see our students shine. Mrs. Hudson is a state finalist for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. We are so proud of her. We end the month with another successful blood drive.
We are very busy at Warwick Veterans Middle School as we move into spring. Our students are preparing for State Testing and learning the skills they need to be successful at the next grade level. Meanwhile, our unified arts teachers are putting to use materials that the District secured from the RIDE Capital Fund Arts Initiative. Many of our teachers are also running engaging after-school clubs for our students.
Mr. Landrie, our social arts coordinator, is organizing a number of after-school community-building activities for our students, such as a movie night, bingo, a game night, monthly dances, and the 8th grade social. Our building administrative team is working closely with Ms. Henderson and team leaders to organize field day experiences for our students. Finally, we are instituting a monthly principal-parent forum for parents to share any questions, concerns, and suggestions.
This month, students are representing the Warwick Area Career and Technical Center at the SkillsUSA competitions against other career centers throughout the state. These students are utilizing their industry-based knowledge and skills and being assessed by professionals in the field. We are excited to see who will represent RI as we set our sites on the SkillsUSA National Competition.
ELEMENTARY UPDATE
Greetings and Happy Spring to all our elementary families! It is hard to believe that we have already begun our third and final trimester of this school year. Our students have been learning and growing so much this year and that is thanks not only to you for supporting what we do here at school, but to our incredible teachers and staff members.
Our trimester report cards were sent home digitally on March 30 through the Aspen portal, so be sure to check them out if you haven’t already. Additionally, our RICAS (ELA and Math) and NGSA (science) assessment window is open and our students in grades 3,4, and 5 have been working diligently on these statewide assessments through the end of May. The results will be out in the fall.
Lastly, the last trimester is a very busy one. We continue to explore, analyze, and collaborate with our peers and teachers in all our academic areas and of course, the “creatures” will soon be arriving for our science program and outdoor learning is just around the corner. There are also so many exciting end-of-year celebrations to help plan and attend as well. Please reach out to your school’s principal to see how you can support your end-of-year events for our students.
Thank you again for all your continued support.
Mrs. Cousineau -Director of Elementary Education
SPECIAL SERVICES
It is hard to believe that April vacation is around the corner.
We wanted to share some events for the month of April:
Sensory-Friendly Reptile Show
Saturday, April 15, from 11 am - 1 pm
91 Main Street, Ste. 115, Warren, Rhode Island 02885
Unleash your inner adventurer and discover the mysteries of the scaly realm with Bierman Autism Centers – East Bay. Join us for an unforgettable day of reptile exploration at our unique exhibit featuring the one-and-only Bwana Iguana Reptile Adventure!
Get hands-on with lizards, turtles, and snakes as you delve deep into their captivating world. And what better way to experience this exciting journey than with a delicious treat in hand, surrounded by these incredible creatures?
The Reptile Show will take place from 11 am - 1 pm, and we'll have Free Play and Q&A from 12 - 1 pm. This free and educational excursion is perfect for children up to age 9, so RSVP today to secure your spot!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sensory-friendly-reptile-show-tickets-576629262647?aff=ebdssbdestsearch
WSEAC Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, April 26, 2023, Warwick Public Library: Central Library, 600 Sandy Ln.
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
HUMAN RESOURCES
Spring is in the air! As this school year draws to a close, we are busily working on staffing projections for the 2023-2024 school year. If you or anyone you know are seeking employment opportunities with WPS, please join us at a RIDE sponsored Job Fair at the Crowne Plaza on May 7th & 8th from 9:00-4:00. We will be doing onsite interviews for teachers, teacher assistants, administrators, bus monitors, food service/lunch aides, custodial, and clerical staff and substitutes in all areas. Any questions about employment opportunities can be directed to Donna O'Rourke at 401-734-3082 or donna.orourke@warwickschools.org.
TECHNOLOGY
We hope this finds everyone enjoying the start of spring. As you may or may not know each year, the district issues new Chromebooks to students in grades 1, 5, and 9. Students will have these devices for four years before they are issued a new device or they graduate. With the school committee’s support, the devices have been ordered, received, and our computer technicians are hard at work setting them all up. Students who will be going into grade 1 will receive their device prior to the start of the summer, whereas students in grades 5 and 9 may receive their device either before the start of the summer or at the beginning of the next school year. As always, we ask that all students try hard in the care of their devices; keeping them in good condition, charged, and ready to go each day. As we all know, technology is a great tool, but it does require careful handling in order to always be ready for use. If there are any questions or concerns with any device that is issued, please contact your school’s Computer Technician, who is always ready and willing to help.
ATHLETICS
The High School Interscholastic Sports season just concluded and the Warwick Teams are already entrenched in Spring Sports competition.
Warwick Athletes had much to celebrate this past winter.
Top winter honors go to the Pilgrim’s Girls Basketball Team who won the Division III Championship. There were also Co- Division Champions. They finished with a record of 16-6 overall. While the accomplishment was a total team effort, Gianna Ramos, Amaya Coffee, Faith Meade, Jenna Madden, and Kiera Ramos were all recognized for their contribution as they were selected to various All Division Teams. Congrats also go out to first-year Head Coach Kaitlyn Rachiele and Assistant Coach Hanna French for a job well done. The Toll Gate Lady Titan’s Basketball Team also had much success before losing in the semifinals. The Lady Titans were Co- Division Champions. Earning All-Division honors for the Lady Titans were: Brianlys Simono, Dulce Garcia, Sydnee Perrault, Amanda Preston, and Lola Olink.
The Warwick Boys Ice Hockey also had a very successful season. They advanced to the Division I Frozen Four Championships. The Warwick team won 16 games this season. This is quite an accomplishment seeing as the team only won one game last season. Major contributors to the team’s success were: Ryan Barlow, Braxton Bragg, Ethan Pezzullo, Richie Cavanagh, and Gerard Schifino. These players were also awarded All-League Honors. Barlow and Bragg were also named 1st Team All-State. Senior Charlie Clements and Sean Mullaney, as well as Junior Cooper Grossguth, contributed to the team’s offensive power. Lucas Hemond and Jacob Pickering helped anchor the defense.
In Girls' Ice Hockey, the win/loss record was not indicative of the team’s success. The team had a solid season and qualified for the playoffs. Anchoring the Lady Titans this season was the outstanding goaltending of Captain Mary Centracchio. Centracchio was named first Team All-State this season. Players earning All-Division Honors were: Mia Campbell, Aubrey Gatti, Flora Meunier, Ayla Paley, and Asst. Captain Elizabeth Cavanagh.
The Warwick Indoor Track Teams enjoyed a successful season. At Pilgrim HS, senior co-captain Dasani Stewart won the long jump competition and placed second in the high jump. Her first-place finish was rewarded with 1st team All-State selection. In addition to Stewarts success, senior co-captain Alyssa Twomey placed 6th in the high hurdles competition and Keaney Bayha finished 7th in the 3000-meter run. Bayha was also named an All-Division selection. Pilgrim finished 10th at the state championship meet.
The Lady Titan’s track team was led by Veteran All-State runner Allison Pankowicz.
In Boys track news, Toll Gate Titan Domenic Calise set the school record in the 300 Meter Dash this winter. He did so with a time of 36.96. Calise was named All-Division. The 4 x 200 relay team of Jamie Luna, Domenic Calise, Trever DiPanni, and Mason Tanner finished 5th at the State Championship Meet. The time of 1:34.96 also set a school record.
The Toll Gate 4x800 Meter Relay Team finished 7th at the state meet. Runners were Rhonthon Vega, Cian Roberts, Jamie Luna, and Josh Maynard. The relay team also earned All Division Honors.
The Pilgrim Relay Teams also had much success. The 4 x 200 relay team of Aiden Prum, Hunter Schobel, Jack Coffey, and Alex Pinheiro and the 4 x 800 Team: Ian Bubar, Jack Smith, Liam Holmes, and Jordan Lopes received All Division honors.
In Wrestling News, The Toll Gate Titans finished with a Divisional record of 8-2 and an overall record of 19-7.
The Titans had several wrestlers qualify for the state meet. Jack Sabatelli, Ben Denoncour, Tyrisse Volmar, and Tyler Hunter led the way for the Titans. Denoncour, Hunter, and Sabitelli were All-Division selections.
The Pilgrim Wrestling Team finished its season with a 6-4 record in dual meets. Trevor O’Connor finished the dual meet season with a perfect 10-0 record. All 10 wins were by pinning his opponent. Justin Murphy and Donovan Watts finished their dual meet season both with 9-1 records. Jacob Olivera finished 7-3, Lucas Patten finished 6-3 and Andrew Arsenault finished 6-4 respectively. Murphy, Watts, and O’Connor were all named to the All-Division Team. Pilgrim had two wrestlers place at the state meet: Murphy finished 4th and O’Connor Finished 5th.
In Girls Swimming, The Lady Titan’s Oceana Lowe and Katelyn Watson had strong seasons. Oceana Low finished 1st in the Toll Gate’s Division in both the 200 Individual Medley and the 500 Meter Freestyle Race. Katelyn Watson finished 2nd in the 200 Meter Backstroke Race and 7th in the 200 Meter Freestyle Race.
The Pilgrim Cheerleading team finished second in the state at the RIIL championships.
Finally, as mentioned earlier, Spring Sports are in full swing. The Pilgrim and Toll Gate Girls’ Lacrosse teams recently kicked off the season in a classic intercity rival competition. The Lady Patriots overcame an early deficit to defeat the Toll Gate Titans 8-7. Lily Farrell scored the go-ahead goal with a little over a minute to go in the competition.
We thank you for your time and dedication to our students and school community,
Your Warwick Public School District Leaders