On Graduation

Since this is only the second time I've addressed graduates of East Greenwich High School, I sought some advice as to what I should say to all of you. I recently heard a sound bite from a commencement address that got my attention. The sound bite came from the remarks that Denzel Washington gave in 2011 to the University of Pennsylvania. Denzel Washington grew up in Mount Vernon, New York. I grew up in Mount Vernon New York. Denzel Washington graduated from Fordham University. I graduated from Fordham University. Mr. Washington and I have a lot in common, in fact, between the two of us, we have two Oscars! Not bad for two kids from Mt. Vernon…

All kidding aside, he gave some great advice. But the best part of his remarks, according to Mr. Washington, came from his wife, Pauletta, when she told him, “To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.”

To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.

You are all preparing to do something never did this coming fall and whether it's a gap year, a job, the armed services, college, or something else, you will have to grapple with this question: How, then, shall you live meaningfully in a world where there are so many claims to what is true and good.

So, if you will indulge me for just a few minutes, I would like to offer two bite-sized pieces of advice to help you to find your answer to that question. Because the answer to that question will be as individual as the 174 of you are. My thoughts for all of you is this: 1. Be kind or, at the very least, be decent.

Be kind, or at least be decent. In whatever you do, wherever you go, whoever you meet. Be one inch kinder, one inch more decent. I assure you that I did not coordinate my remarks with Justice Stern, but if you listened carefully to his remarks at Ivy Day, he said the same thing.

Be kind or decent – simple in concept but seemingly and somehow terribly tricky in our world today.

Consider the following: During a marathon in 2021, a Kenyan runner Abel Mutai was just short of the finish line when he got confused by the signage and stopped, thinking he had completed the race. Another runner from Spain, Ivan Fernandez, was right behind him and, realizing what had happened in front of him, shouted to the Kenyan runner to keep going.

As you might surmise, the Kenyan didn’t understand Spanish. So Fernandez pushed Mutai to victory.

After the race, a reporter asked Fernandez, "Why did you do this?"

He replied, "My dream is that one day we can have the kind of community life that pushes ourselves and others to win as well."

"But why did you let the Kenyan win?" the reporter insisted.

Fernandez replied, "I didn't let him win; he would win. It was his race."

The reporter pressed and asked again: "But you could have won!"

Fernandez looked at him and replied, "But what would have been the merit of my victory? What would be the honor of this medal? What will my mother think?"

I think Mr. Fernandez had a point.

Be kind. Or at the very least be decent.

My second piece of advice: serve others.

I am a huge fan of Aaron Sorkin, the playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He’s written for Broadway theater productions, feature length movies, and television. I’m paraphrasing him in this quote:

I like bands, more than solo acts. I like team sports more than individual sports. This is a wonderful place to come to work – it doesn’t feel like work. It feels like a team. When successful on a team, there’s someone to high five and celebrate with along the way. In failure on a team, it’s a little bit easier when someone’s in the foxhole with you.

He writes that way as well and in 2012, when all of the graduates today were somewhere learning how to read and write in first grade, one of his television shows debuted: The Newsroom, about the fictional Atlantis Cable News network and its team of reporters, anchors and producers took on actual news stories.

However, in the pilot episode, the main character Will McAvoy (played by Jeff Daniels) while on a journalizm panel at Northwestern University, goes on a rant, after a student during the Q & A asks: Why America is the greatest country in the world?

McAvoy excoriates her that it is not the greatest country anymore, though it once was. Since this took place in 2012, every student in this fictional audience has a cell phone, records the news anchor shouting at a college student, it goes viral and McAvoy is given a two week “vacation.” Upon his return though, he’s inspired to do better in his work, what he considers to be a public service. He’s asked at one point, “Is there something bigger we want to reach for, or is self-interest our basic resting pulse.”

Class of 2024, self-interest cannot be your basic resting pulse.

I offer to all of you today that you can reach for something, anything bigger, than self interest by serving others.

Your parents have served you, by choosing to live in East Greenwich, ensuring that you’d go to our public schools.

Your educators have served you, and by educators, I mean anyone you’ve encountered while in our district: Facilities, Cafeteria Staff, Office Administrative Assistants, Guidance Counselors, Social Workers, Paraeducators and the men and women whom we have tasked with making the vision of a Graduate a reality for you, your teachers. They do this by committing to countless hours that you never see. When you arrive to class and there’s an engaging, thoughtful, challenging lesson to be a part of, that is the result of a myriad of minutes that take place when you’re not there. Planning, executing, and assessing learning in the 21st Century is not for the faint of heart. Your teachers are nothing short of amazing.

Your leadership at EGHS has served you. Dr. Page earned a statewide distinction this year as Rhode Island’s best first year principal and Ms. Sylvia, in eight short months, has made her educational leadership clear to every single student who walks through the doors at 300 Avenger Drive. I know this for a fact because I get to spend the first thirty minutes of my week with EGHS as a part of Class Block. What a gift to a superintendent who misses the classroom.

Every single person in this room, besides you graduates, have reached for something bigger, by serving you, Class of 2024. And now it’s your turn.

To close the loop on my reference to The Newsroom, there’s a Sorkin-esque bow on this scene with the college student. As it turns out, being yelled at by Mr. McAvoy did nothing to deter this young woman. She followed the change in his path, and ultimately applied for an internship at Atlantis Cable News. It was long enough after the original incident that McAvoy forgot about her and when he saw her in their conference room interviewing, he couldn’t place her right away… but once he did, he rushed to confront her during her interview.

After asking the recent graduate if she indeed was the one who asked the question that caused his rant that changed the trajectory of his professional world, McAvoy asks why she’s there.

When she responds she wants to be a part of the public service she sees in Atlantis Cable News, she wants to be a part of the decency happening in this fictional world. She is reaching beyond her self interest.

After a beat, McAvoy urges her to re-ask the original question she asked at Northwestern.

With some trepidation and hesitation, she looks up at him and asks, “What makes America the greatest country in the world.”

He responds: You do.

Congratulations EGHS Class of 2024!

Giving Thanks

As the calendar turns to June, we face the prospect of the dwindling days of Teaching and Learning, the lengthening of the amount of sunlight we see, and the reality that summer vacation is on the horizon. It's also a time for me to reflect on our academic year. As often happens, reflection for me turns to gratitude. 

I am grateful for the School Committee, which includes Chair Alyson Powell and Vice Chair Nicole Bucka, as well as members Clare Cecil-Karb, Will Hangan, Tim Munoz, Kevin Murphy, and Gene Quinn. They have navigated a challenging year thoughtfully while consistently putting student learning first. The relationship between a School Committee and the Superintendent of Schools is unique. I am their only employee, and yet, from time to time, I have to work with them to guide their actions. I am proud of our relationship, one that is highlighted by active listening and mutual respect. 

I am grateful for our Town Council, who recently allocated the most significant increase in funding to public education since 2007 - 2008 in EG. Their President, Mark Schwager, and Vice President, Mike Donegan, along with members Caryn Corenthal, Renu Englehart, and Mike Zarella, have, through their actions, not only with this budget but also through their support of the Master Plan and bond, demonstrated authentic support for the students, faculty, staff, and community of East Greenwich Public Schools. 

I am grateful for the Senior Leadership Team: Maggie Baker, Neil Marcaccio, Michael Podraza, Chris Scheib, and Bob Wilmarth. These Department Leaders help me prioritize Teaching and Learning while also attending to the district's day-to-day needs. Their wisdom, guidance, insights, and professional expertise are invaluable. Our meetings are often punctuated by humor, which is necessary when leading an organization the size of EGPS. 

I am grateful for our District Office staff, the people I see in the office daily. They are behind the scenes but have jobs critical to our district's operation. From administrative support to payroll, from federal title grants expertise to retirement gifts, from human resources to special education file management, these individuals handle significant issues with care and attention to detail. Several of us also play Wordle together, which is an added bonus!

I am grateful for our Building Leaders: Beth Cauley, Melissa Centracchio, Maryann Crudale, Dom Giusti, Pat Page, Dan Seger, Coleen Smith, and Molly Sylvia. They seamlessly operate buildings full of Teaching and Learning ensuring that All Means All is not just a catchphrase but a reality for our students. Against the backdrop of increasing student (and adult) mental health needs, a growing necessity of DCYF reports, as well as a student body still reeling from the effects of the pandemic, these educational leaders are partners with families. Our principals are the ones who grow, nurture, and cultivate environments where all students can feel safe, welcome, and included. When students feel those things, they can grow and learn to their potential. When students grow and learn to their potential, they know mistakes are OK. As adults we know that making mistakes is an invaluable part of the learning process. 

I am grateful for our Teachers and all the individuals who are included in that broad term (occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, guidance counselors, and school psychologists). The last time I was a full-time teacher was more than twenty years ago. While I have kept a foot in that door of teaching, when I visit buildings, I witness how difficult this work is and the magic that is happening in classrooms regularly in EGPS. Our teachers are nothing short of tremendous, and I am so proud to celebrate them!

I am grateful for our Paraeducators, some of whom work with our students who have substantial needs. Their work is characterized by empathy, patience, compassion, and, in many cases, love. The care they show is, in a word, beautiful. We are incredibly fortunate to have such kind individuals working alongside our teachers in our buildings on a daily basis. 

I am grateful for our Athletics Department. While only a department of two, these individuals give our student-athletes a place to shine when they're not in the classroom. Maintaining academic standards is critical to their success and we have the championship hardware to prove it. Of particular importance to East Greenwich is our Unified Sports Program, teaching lifelong lessons about relationships, people, and selflessness. Perhaps even more important than our championship banners is the reality that both Cole Middle School and East Greenwich High School are National Unified Champion Schools. 

I am grateful for our Facilities Personnel. Our data shows substantial improvement in the cleanliness of our buildings, which is a result of the stewardship from this group of professionals. It is a thankless job, caring for and maintaining buildings six buildings, five of which are older than I am. Still, these dedicated individuals show up every day and show us that these Teaching and Learning spaces matter, not just the classrooms but the hallways, cafeterias, and gymnasiums. 

I am grateful for our Technology Staff. No one calls them to say, "Thank you, the internet is working today." But you can be sure that their phones are ringing off the hook when it's down. They maintain not only our network but also all the EGPS devices in the hands of our students and adults. It is a task that is growing in complexity because of the intersection of education and technology. In addition, the reality of cybersecurity puts significant demands on this department as well. 

It truly does take a village and I am very fortunate to be leading this one in East Greenwich. I wish all our students, faculty, families, and school-year staff a restful and relaxing summer!

Photo courtesy of https://blog.adobe.com