2025 Teacher of the Year | RI TOY Website

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2025 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year

Milissa O'Neil

24-25 District Teachers of the Year

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Leah Quezada

Beacon Charter

English Teacher

Beacon Charter High School for the Arts

Alexis Gardner

Blackstone Valley Prep

English Language Arts

Blackstone Valley Prep High School

Ann Corrado

Bristol Warren Regional

Ann is a 5th grade teacher in the Bristol Warren Regional District where she has been teaching for the past 13 years. Prior to pursuing a career in education, Ann worked as a Senior Communication Specialist for Delta Dental of RI, as well as a Communication Specialist for the RI Department of Transportation and a Project Manager for Pharmacare. While Ann enjoyed her career in communications under her Bachelors from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, she felt a pull at her heart strings every September when she heard the school buses begin their routes. Ann decided to pursue her Masters in Education while working full time and raising a young family. With two small children at home and a career during the day, Ann knew she had made the right choice once she received her Masters in Elementary Education from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ann’s pedagogical belief is that every student has the ability to achieve their full potential when they feel safe, are encouraged to believe in themselves, work hard and reach for the stars. Ann shares this philosophy with her students while encouraging them to use a positive growth mindset with the understanding that mistakes are what we learn from. Ann works to create a safe environment where students can relax and feel comfortable. She also makes it a point to confer with each and every student on a daily basis, along with their family, so that she understands the whole child. In addition to teaching all subjects in the classroom while maintaining a safe and nurturing environment, Ann’s passion for education extends to her professional learning community where she partners with colleagues and administrators on various district initiatives. Ann’s previous role on the ELA Curriculum Advisory allowed her to participate in training through RIDE to identify high quality curriculum that she then piloted before working with stakeholders to adopt one. Ann worked as a Literacy Coach where her role as an expert in the new curriculum allowed her to support educators in the implementation of the new curriculum through lesson and small group modeling, fielding questions and more. Ann participated in curriculum research studies such as the PALS math program where she recorded her lessons and shared in countless interviews to reflect on her practice and the outcome of the program's impact on students. Currently, Ann is sitting on a Science Advisory Committee with the role of researching, identifying and piloting a new science curriculum prior to the states implementation deadline. Ann is also a member of the district’s Superintendent Advisory Committee and Professional Development Committee.

Burrillville

Gennaro Ferraro

Science/BioMedical CTE

Burrillville High School

Central Falls

Deloris Grant

English Teacher

Central Falls High School

Chariho

Cheryl Lightfriyz

Special Educator

Chariho Regional High School

Cheryl received her Bachelor's in education from Ohio University and her Master’s in Special Education also at Ohio University. Cheryl arrived in Chariho in 2006 from a district in CT. Her experiences ranged from elementary education to special education from pre-k through high school. Her expertise working with students with specific individualized needs is commendable. Connecting and communicating with students is a strength. She works tirelessly to create a learning environment that promotes engagement, independence, and success. Cheryl understands the value of relationships and connections. She works daily to increase student’s independence, promoting this best practices with faculty and staff. Cheryl is highly skilled at creating opportunities for peer interaction, communication, skills development, helping students build meaningful relationships and navigating social situations with confidence. She approaches each day with patience, compassion, and a genuine desire to help every student reach their full potential. Cheryl has made it a priority to ensure her students are integrated thoughtfully into our high school community. She is deeply involved in ensuring her students engaged in extracurricular activities and initiatives. Cheryl is never afraid to bring new ideas to the administration about ways to continue to increase student access and support. Her main goal is to foster independence and enhance daily living skills through applied and real experiences. Through her programming, she has truly helped to promote inclusivity and diversity within our high school. it gives me great pleasure to announce that this year’s district 2025 teacher of the year, is Cheryl Lightfritz.

Coventry

Samantha Taylor

Samantha is an educator and Life Skills teacher at Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School of Coventry. Pursuing a degree in education 15 years ago, Samantha graduated from RIC in 2013 with concentrations in Early Childhood and Severe Intellectual Disabilities. She has been the Life Skills teacher at ASFMS for 10+ years, and has a passion for teaching in such a specialized program. Within the classroom, Samantha promotes functional academics which provide students with opportunities to increase their independence and bring learning to life. One experience is running a school community Food Pantry. Students are tasked with sorting and classifying into categories, labeling shelf stable items, reading shopping lists, filling orders, and counting using base ten to take inventory. These moments enhance what is taught in the classroom, and bring a purpose to academic instruction for concrete learners. The Food Pantry also promotes inclusion, providing for families and the school community at large. Samantha is a champion of inclusion, helping to bring the Unified Schools movement to ASFMS in 2016. As a co-chair of Unified at ASFMS, Samantha has organized fundraising events like the yearly Polar Plunge. This Special Olympics sponsored event brings funds back to ASFMS to continue prompting the message of inclusion. Samantha has also helped to organize events like Unified Basketball, Fans in the Stands, Unified Month and more. All of these initiatives facilitate necessary conversations about disability, and provide all students with an understanding that different is not bad, different is different. Throughout her years as a Special Educator, Samantha has built strong connections within the school community. She believes every student has the capacity to learn, when provided the opportunities to do so.

Cumberland

Gina Campopiano

Gina Marie Palazzo Campopiano was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. Her passion for teaching began when she herself was in kindergarten with a teacher by the name of Mrs. Listro; her absolute favorite teacher of all time. When it came time to select a career path, Gina chose to attend Rhode Island College where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in early childhood education in 2007. From there, Gina went on to teach in Coventry, Rhode Island. However, in 2012, Gina decided to make a change. The Cumberland school district was switching over to a full day kindergarten program, which Gina believed to be necessary for all kindergarten students. She interviewed for a kindergarten position with the Cumberland School Department. She was hired on the spot and was sent to Garvin Memorial Elementary School where she still is today. While at Garvin Memorial Elementary School, Gina quickly became a teacher leader. She immediately began volunteering to pilot new programs and to spearhead initiatives. She became a member of several committees; the report card committee, the math mapping team, the school improvement team, the PBIS team, and the National Blue Ribbon committee. Gina also attended all PTO meetings and became an active participant in many after school community events. In 2016, Gina recognized that students needed more social and emotional learning. She also realized the need for more readiness skills. So, she decided to begin an innovative grant funded summer program for incoming kindergarten students, exclusively at Garvin Memorial Elementary School. She wrote and received grants from Feinstein and from the Cumberland Education Foundation. She designed a program to make the transition to kindergarten a much smoother one; for families and for students. She named it Kindergarten Kick Start. It is a language and literacy based enrichment program that also focuses on social and emotional learning. Gina believes that building relationships with students and families prior to the beginning of the school year is vital to her students’ academic success. She believes that Kindergarten Kick Start helps to spark her students’ young imaginations and gets them excited and invested in their learning. Gina wants the children and their families to feel more confident and prepared for the rigorous expectations. She wants to prove to them that they are entering into a safe and fun learning environment. Overall, Gina has seen that the Kindergarten Kick Start Program has better prepared her incoming students so that their kindergarten school year can be a much more positive and a much more successful one. Gina has kept the program running every year, with the exception of the year of covid. Currently, the superintendent is looking into adopting this program for the district and is planning on making it a part of the Governor's Learn365RI program. In 2019, Gina received the sunshine award from the faculty and staff. In 2020, Gina received an acknowledgement from the Rhode Island Department of Education for creating kindergarten assessments in Google slides during distance learning. She also received an acknowledgement for sharing those slides with the kindergarten teachers throughout the district. In 2023, Gina received the crystal apple award from her fellow colleagues. In 2024, Gina became the 2025 teacher of the year for the Cumberland school district, receiving a certificate of recognition from the governor and a citation from the Rhode Island Senate. When she is not in the classroom, Gina enjoys spending time with her husband, Christopher, and their three year old daughter, Gianna. Together, they enjoy cooking and being outdoors. Currently, they are working on cooking different dishes from around the world. Mrs. Gina Marie Palazzo Campopiano’s energy and enthusiasm radiate to all of those around her. She always supports her colleagues and goes out of her way to make sure that she can add positivity and humor to any situation. To loosely quote Ginger Rogers and her principal, Mrs. Carter, “Sure teaching is great, but don’t forget that Mrs. C can teach a room full of 5 and 6 year olds and in heels.”

Davis Career & Tech

Ryan Hall

Ryan Hall believes deeply in holistic education and the transformative power of inclusive community building. He believes that by acknowledging the humanity in his students, colleagues, and other community members, he can have a classroom that is more productive with less disciplinary actions and more learning. After earning a Masters of Urban Education from Providence College in 2019, Mr. Hall began his career at William M. Davies Jr. Career and Technical High School. Mr. Hall teaches grade 9 World History, grade 12 Psychology, and, through Davies Education / Childcare CTE program, he teaches Foundations of Education for grade 11 students. Students in Foundations of Education receive college credit as part of the Rhode Island College Early Enrolment Program. Mr. Hall firmly believes that students are in school to develop skill sets that will serve them throughout life. 21st century skills are imperative and not limited to technologies as we prepare them for the vast and complicated world. More than ever we need to focus on timeless skills that are at the base of a human being’s ability to develop, grow and thrive. Mr. Hall believes that every student can learn, if they are coming from a place where their emotional needs are being addressed. As a trauma informed practitioner, he uses the neurosequential development model and approaches each situation with intentional care for the well-being of all. He builds relationships that allow students to feel seen, heard and safe. Mr. Hall is a lifelong learner, often fascinated by topics in social science. Mr. Hall serves on the Board of Directors of Diversity Talks. Ryan was elected by his peers to the Davies Teacher Association Executive Board. He regularly takes on practicum students, is a guest speaker in college classes, and most importantly, Mr Hall regularly attends sporting events, chaperones dances, and advises the Davies Social Justice Club. He routinely works to provide opportunities for young people to advocate for causes they believe in. He is exceedingly grateful for his years and experiences in education and youth development. Ryan loves the Rhode Island Football Club, learning, good music, good hangouts, and his wife Katie.

East Greenwich

Patricia Rakovic

Patricia Rakovic, a dedicated Speech-Language Pathologist at East Greenwich Public Schools, has been serving students for over 45 years, with 26 of those years in her current role. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Lehman College, CUNY, and a Master’s degree from New York University, with advanced studies in literacy, dyslexia, special education administration, and autism. Affectionately known as "Queen Rakovic" by her K-2 students, Patricia creates an engaging and interactive learning environment with crowns, wands, and treasure boxes. She is passionate about fostering confidence, communication skills, and a love of learning through playful, student-centered methods. Patricia’s expertise spans all age groups. She has worked with middle school students using gamification, acting, and filmmaking to help them access the curriculum and develop higher-level language skills. Her innovative approach encourages students to remain engaged long after the sessions end. A founding member of the Rhode Island Autism Project, Patricia has led workshops for educators and families to better support children with autism. She has also taught courses on language development, language disorders in schools, and autism at several local colleges. As an avid reader, Patricia’s personal passion is literacy. She loves working with students not just on foundational skills but also on building a lifelong love of reading and writing, regardless of their abilities. Her collaborative and innovative approach continues to positively impact both students and educators, fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment for all.

East Providence

Kathie Rietheimer

Kathie is in her 19th year of teaching 4th grade at Orlo Avenue School in East Providence, primarily teaching math and science. She taught English/ELA at E.R.Martin Middle School for six years, also in East Providence, prior to Orlo. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education at Rhode Island College with a major in English and Middle School Endorsement. She then earned her Master's Degree at Brown University in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Together with her husband, she is raising three amazing children and two fur babies. Kathie continuously looks for and participates in opportunities that help her grow as an educator and parent. She is a Conscious Discipline practitioner having taken part in book studies, in classroom training, parent/guardian workshops, and a week long summer Institute. She strives to create a safe classroom environment that fosters relationships and connections through many of the rituals and procedures developed by Conscious Discipline. Kathie also seeks ways to grow as a mathematics teacher. She is Math AddVantage trained, having completed AVMR Teacher courses 1, 2, and Fractions. She also completed the Foundations of Math with Dr Cain this summer. In 2014, Orlo Avenue School was classified as a Priority school. Kathie joined the Instructional Leadership team that led the work in exiting that status. The team (ILT) worked tirelessly to write the school plan, gather data, reflect and formulate on the data, and attend numerous professional development opportunities. The team worked with the school faculty to act on the plan, reflect, and adjust as necessary. The team facilitated meetings with not only the staff but district leadership and RIDE representatives. It was through this work that Kathie was trained as a facilitator with CLEE, the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity. CLEE also helped the team reflect on their plan and act accordingly. Kathie participates in various committees within her community. She is a member of the School Improvement Team, which took the place of the Instructional Leadership Team once Orlo exited the Priority Status. Kathie leads and facilitates the STREAM Night and School Garden committees at Orlo. She participates as the 4th grade representative on the math and science curriculum teams for the district. These teams are responsible for a variety of tasks such as aligning math programs, creating common tasks and pacing guides, implementing curriculum programs and platforms such as Gizmos within Core instruction, and ensuring needs of students are being met across the district. She is a foot soldier for both the PBIS team and School Spirit team, often using her photography skills to enhance the overall climate of the school. She continues to strengthen her MLL knowledge by attending offerings such as those of the NE Basecamp. One of her proudest accomplishments is the school courtyard. Through a number of grants, including the last one from the Learning Inside Out Initiative Grant, the courtyard has been completely renovated this past summer. It now contains a concrete patio to house the six picnic tables with umbrellas, handicap ramps, sensory, vegetable and butterfly gardens, and grass areas. It is her hope she can now continue to work academics throughout the school year for the courtyard, from kindergarten through 5th grade. She has high hopes for a summer program and community involvement, including a partnership or mentorship program with the local high school. Kathie strives to create a rich learning environment for all of Orlo and foster a sense of global citizenship by organizing a school-wide butterfly project, including the butterfly garden, raising caterpillars in each classroom in the spring, and participating in the Symbolic Migration Journey. Kathie looks forward to continuing to grow, learn, and bring new ideas and initiatives to her community.

Exeter-West Greenwich

Lea Jendza

Speech and Language Pathologist

Metcalf Elementary School

Foster

Dawn Guilmette

Pre-School Special Educator

Captain Isaac Paine School

Foster Glocester

Malaree Kane

Malaree is a dedicated agricultural educator at Ponaganset High School in Foster where she has been teaching for the past 20 years. Her passion for agriculture and interest in animal science began at an early age, growing up on her family’s farm in West Greenwich. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, Pennsylvania and was thrilled at the opportunity to return home and begin her teaching career. Malaree has dedicated a majority of her career to developing the Animal and Plant Science Career and Technical Education program at Ponaganset. This RIDE approved CTE program serves students from within the towns of Foster and Glocester as well as several surrounding districts. She believes that this program allows students to explore their agricultural interests and develop those skills necessary for post secondary success through hands-on and project based learning. Malaree spends a great deal of time developing and revising curriculum in order to reflect the changes within the industry and better prepare her students for their future careers. She works to instill in her students a greater awareness and appreciation for agriculture. In addition to time spent in the classroom, Malaree spends countless hours each year as an advisor of the Ponaganset FFA Chapter. FFA is the nation’s largest youth organization with over 1 million members in more than 9,000 chapters throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. FFA is considered an intra-curricular organization as it is an integral part of a successful agricultural organization. The mission is to help students develop their potential for career success, personal growth and premier leadership through agricultural education. Malaree strives to create an inclusive agriculture program and FFA chapter that serves all students regardless of their agricultural experience and interests as well as their academic abilities. As an FFA alumni, she knows firsthand the positive and life long impact that this organization can have and often describes the role of advisor as the “best part of her job”.

International Charter School

Kim Davis

Kim Davis is a dedicated physical education teacher with 17 years of experience, currently shaping the health and fitness habits of the elementary age students at the International Charter School in Pawtucket. After working 10 years as a molecular biologist, she returned to Rhode Island College to pursue her passion and earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and Health Education. She has dedicated the past 17 years to building connections with her students and helping them discover physical activities that they enjoy and that will lead to lifelong healthy habits. Incorporating Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) into her approach, Kim recognizes the critical role that physical education can play in developing students' emotional intelligence. Throughout her teaching career, she has designed a curriculum that promotes her belief that physical education is not just about movement—it's about building confidence, leadership, and resilience in young learners. She has developed an afterschool program, the ICS Healthy Heroes, that gives 3rd, 4th and 5th graders leadership opportunities by making positive, healthy changes to the school environment. In addition to her teaching role, Kim is also the leader of her school’s Health & Wellness Committee. Kim champions health initiatives that emphasize physical fitness and emotional well-being among the students and staff. These initiatives include Color Runs, hikes, and staff Yoga classes. In addition, Kim was instrumental in the creation of a from scratch, culturally responsive cafeteria at the International Charter School. Once in place, she worked with students to start a successful recycling and food composting program in the school, promoting sustainability and environmental awareness among the students.

Jamestown

James Kaczynski

Science Teacher

Jamestown Lawn School

Johnston

Jeffrey DeSilvia

Math Teacher

Johnston High School

Kingston Hill Academy

Wendy Gariglio

Wendy Gariglio, LICSW (Ms. Wendy) has been the school social worker at KHA since 2015. She grew up in New Bedford, MA, and moved to RI to attend Providence College, where she majored in psychology and dual-minored in biology and writing. She then spent two years in Washington, DC where she earned her MSW at the Catholic University National School of Social Service and worked at the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County and at the Edgewood Brookland Family Support Collaborative. She then moved back up to RI where she was licensed as an independent clinical social worker and joined Project Family and the Family Counseling Program at Children’s Friend for eight years before working part-time as a private practitioner for Ocean State Psychotherapy and Wellness and as a school social worker/counselor for KHA. She is very happy to now be the full-time school social worker and school-wide social-emotional learning liaison at KHA. In her free time, she enjoys being a softball mom (and dog mom:) and everything Harry Potter.

Lincoln

Casey Carr

Casey Carr, a passionate and innovative Social Studies educator, has been teaching at Lincoln High School for 12 years. With a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from Rhode Island College and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Simmons University, Casey is committed to making history engaging and meaningful through student-centered learning and immersive activities. Guided by Nancy William Ross' quote, “We ourselves must walk the path, teachers merely show the way,” Casey believes in empowering students to navigate their educational journeys independently. Her classroom is a vibrant space where students become “scientists,” “military strategists,” and “government officials” as they delve into historical simulations like the Manhattan Project, the Berlin Wall, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Through hands-on experiences and critical thinking exercises, Casey fosters an environment that nurtures essential skills like communication, problem-solving, and creativity. Her dedication to creating a safe and exciting learning environment inspires students to engage enthusiastically with history and develop a deeper understanding of its impact on the present. Casey's approach extends beyond imparting knowledge; she aims to equip students with the skills and confidence needed to become informed, engaged citizens ready to make meaningful contributions to society.

Little Compton

Otilio Torres (Lee)

Lee is an Individual and Societies (social studies) International Baccalaureate (IB) teacher in the Little Compton School District at the Wilbur and McMahon School (WMS), the only IB Public School in Rhode Island. In education, we always talk about lifelong learners. Lee is the ultimate lifetime learner. He holds three master’s Degrees: A Master of Education from the University of Maryland, a Master of Arts in Political Management from George Washington University, and a Master of Science in International Relations from Troy State University. Lee was also a senior fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Relations at Harvard University. He is currently an EdD graduate student at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Lee's strength is his ability to incorporate his experience as a federal government public servant into his civic and government academic program in the classroom and the Wilbur and McMahon School Community. He teaches a civics and government academic program that is student-centered and embraces an inquiry-based framework where students research how our government operates at the national, state, and local levels. At the local community level, Lee is instrumental in our school-wide community service project program, where students identify a community-related issue, research the problem set, and implement solutions. Furthermore, Lee's positive impact at Wilbur-McMahon School extends to the establishment of the Wilbur-McMahon Student Council, which has given students a voice and an opportunity to develop leadership skills by organizing different events in the school, including a student-led school tour, which was a vital component of the IB authorization process. Above all, Lee is an educational leader who embraces social justice and equity for all students, regardless of background, socioeconomic status, or learning ability in public education.

Narragansett

Sarah Dully

Sarah is an energetic and lively high school English teacher at Narragansett High School. She has been a part of the Narragansett community for the last five years and spent the eight years prior teaching in both Boston and Providence. Sarah graduated from the College of the Holy Cross (go Crusaders) with a degree in English and received her Masters in Mild to Moderate Disabilities 5 - 12 from Fitchburg State University. Sarah has taught fifth and eighth grades in addition to all four high school grades. Combining her love of literature and passion for an accessible education, Sarah teaches core classes and a smaller, self-contained English course for students with various disabilities. While Sarah collaborates with service providers and co-teachers, students are challenged to use their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills in a larger, more real-world context. Her central belief is that all students can succeed given the right support and resources. Sarah works to scaffold instruction and provide accessible resources so each student can learn and grow. Student engagement is something that Sarah is continually thinking about. She worked with a colleague to propose a True Crime Studies elective to expose students to texts that pique many of their natural interests. She firmly believes that by tapping into students' innate curiosity, a love of learning can be found in all students. Additionally, Sarah fosters student investment by incorporating many Social Emotional Learning strategies in her instruction and spends a lot of time determining ways to creatively delve beyond the curriculum. It is important to Sarah to see students thrive outside of the classroom which prompted her to get involved in many extracurricular activities. She believes that she can become a better teacher when students know she cares about their interests.

Newport

Kathryn Caruolo

Elementary ELL teacher

Pell Elementary

North Kingstown

Hannah Hoy

Hannah is a dedicated library media specialist in North Kingstown. She teaches grades K-5 at Stony Lane Elementary School, where she has been for 5 years. She received her undergraduate degree in English Language Arts from Rhode Island College in 2018. She went on to pursue her Masters of Library and Information Sciences at the University of Rhode Island and graduated in 2020. She has a passion for helping students become lifelong learners and readers, instilling the same love of reading that she has. Students of Stony Lane visit the library for read alouds, book discussions, and checking out books. Hannah enjoys helping students to find their “Just right” book everyday! In addition Hannah has implemented technology initiatives into the library curriculum, she teaches Digital Citizenship, Typing, and Computer Science lessons that align with CS4RI. After school, Hannah runs a book club for students to meet and discuss a different book each month. She also works with the Student Council to help them write and create a Student Newspaper. Every year, she organizes Reading Week, a themed school wide event that celebratesreading with activities, book nominees, voting, and an author visit. She also runs Rooster Games, a book trivia competition for students that promotes the Rhode Island Children Book Award list. Hannah feels so honored to be a DTOY and is looking forward to the experiences and collaboration with all the other DTOYs this year!

North Providence

Vanessa Puccio

Vanessa Puccio, a 5th-grade teacher at Whelan Elementary School, has been named the North Providence School District’s 2024-2025 Teacher of the Year. She is innovative, dedicated, communicative, positive, and enthusiastic. She attended Rhode Island College and received a Bachelors in Elementary Education. For six of her 18 years as a North Providence educator, Puccio served as a long-term substitute, before getting hired to teach 5th-grade. She uses multiple accommodations and modifications within the classroom to inspire and support students, and to help them express themselves, she continuously praises her students’ success. She is presently a member of the Whelan Safety Team, the Whelan PTO, and the North Providence High School tutoring program. Using a compassionate and empathetic approach, her mission as a 5th-grade teacher is to make her students feel emotionally, academically and socially prepared to move onto middle school. She believes it’s important to make sure that every student feels safe, confident, loved and a little bit smarter when they leave my classroom. While she enjoys every aspect of being a teacher, Puccio noted that her favorite part is getting to connect with students, and watching them grow up into successful young adults. When students reach out years later or come visit her classroom, that’s the best feeling in the world. She is looking forward to collaborating with other DTOY’s to learn new strategies and approaches for help with student’s success.

North Smithfield

Melissa Conti Devine

Elementary School Teacher Grade 4

North Smithfield Elementary School

Nuestro Mundo

Christimer Melendez

Middle School Math Teacher

Nuestro Mundo Public Charter School

Pawtucket

Christopher Martinelli

Christopher received his first teaching position in 2012 at Slater Middle School in Pawtucket, Rhode Island and has been teaching 7th and 8th grade science there ever since graduating college. He graduated from The University of Rhode Island with a biological science and teaching degree, while also attaining his middle level endorsement and English as a second language (ESL) endorsement. Christopher inspires students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn the content of science, specifically focusing on instructing the multilingual learner (MLL) student population at Slater Middle School. Since beginning his teaching career at Slater thirteen years ago, he has worked to gain the respect and admiration of students, colleagues, and families within the school community. Christopher is very active in the school community and attends many functions in support of his students. In 2017, he joined the Pawtucket School Department mentor program for advising new hires within the district. He provides fellow colleagues with advice, and provides support ranging from data dives to instructional and assessment strategies that can be used within the classroom. He also reviews curriculum materials and course sequencing with members of the Slater Middle School science department. He has connected the science curriculum to real world events and experiences by taking his students to the Rhode Island School of Design Science and Art Laboratory, the Blackstone Valley River Boat Expedition, the Pawcatuck Watershed Fishery Reserve, and the Mystic Aquarium. After school clubs that he has led or co-taught include the Slater Middle School Forensics Club, the SMILE Club (Science and Mathematics Integrated Learning Experience) partnered with The University of Rhode Island, as well as the Slater Middle School Science Ramp Up Program. This is a cohort of students seeking science enrichment and/or intervention instruction after school. Initiatives that he implements within the framework of his classroom includes integrating the STEAM educational approach within his instruction. By blending scientific knowledge, technological tools, engineering practices, artistic creativity, and mathematical reasoning, this approach provides his students with a broader perspective on learning, fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation. He also is a supportive educator of the Pawtucket School Department’s career and technical education initiative by implementing the Choices360 program with his students. This initiative is partnered with the Rhode Island Junior Achievement program, in which students can learn about potential career pathways based on their interests and skills. The culture of learning established within Christopher’s classroom sets clearly defined expectations for all students. He communicates and connects with his classes using a student centered approach that fosters creativity, expression, leadership, and overall academic success. His science classroom is very welcoming and inviting, and he always puts others before himself. Christopher believes in his students and they know he will support them by giving his best effort when teaching them each day.

Portsmouth

Nycole Noble

Secondary Science Teacher

Portsmouth High School

Providence Prepartory Charter School

Geneva Kpangbai

Middle School ELA Teacher

Providence Prep

Providence

Rachel Greenberg

Elementary Education Teacher- Grade 1

Robert L. Bailey IV

Rhode Island School for the Deaf

Jennifer Gerbasi

Jennifer Gerbasi is an experienced professional in the field of Deaf Education, with 19 years of dedicated service. She is a passionate advocate for early language access for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing children, emphasizing the importance of American Sign Language (ASL) as a visual and accessible language. Jennifer is committed to fostering strong home-school connections, ensuring that every family feels both seen and heard within her classroom. She believes that with the right support, all Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

English. Jillian Boger. Faculty - Jillian Boger.JPG

Rhode Isalnd Nurses Institute

Jillia Boger

Jillian is the Humanities Department Chair at RI Nurse's Institute Middle College, where she has worked since 2019. In her role at the school, she has taught ELA to grades 9 and 11. She also teaches WRT 104: Writing to Explain and Inform, a concurrent enrollment college course offered through the University of Rhode Island, and began teaching ENGL 110: Introduction to Literature, which is RINI's newest addition to the school's wide offering of concurrent and dual enrollment courses. She received her BA in English with a concentration in Education from Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts in 2016, and remained at Bridgewater to receive her MA in English in 2019. As part of her practice, Jillian participates as a member of both the Northeastern Modern Language Association, for which she has chaired three prior panels on literature, conflict studies, and ecocriticism, with an upcoming fourth chaired panel on landscape and Gothic literature, as well as the Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, and organization that she has been presenting with at their national conference since 2018. She is often doing the same kind of literary analysis and cultural study that she asks her students to do in both their high school and college courses, albeit at a post-graduate level, but feels strongly that teachers should be willing to do the same work that they ask their students to do. Writing instruction in the 21st century necessarily needs to be dynamic, flexible, and multimodal, and Jillian believes in making opportunities for students to create texts in which they are able to integrate these aspects of writing in the digital age. Multimodality in writing allows students to make use of analog and digital technologies in new and interesting ways, and Jillian often spends a significant amount of time working with RINI's STEAM coordinator in order to create opportunities for arts integration in ELA classrooms. Jillian uses approaches to interdisciplinary writing because, even in strictly literary courses, texts have never existed in a vacuum, and being able to draw from the knowledge that students have gained in all of their content area courses and as well as from their own interests creates stronger student writing overall. In addition to teaching and academic work, Jillian is also a working poet, and she encourages her students to participate in community arts organizations around Providence and in their hometowns.

Scituate

Jonathan Dunne

Jon has dedicated his career to fostering a love of history among seventh-grade students at Scituate Middle School where he has taught for 14 years. After earning a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Rhode Island in 2006, Jon returned to the university to pursue his teaching certification. Jon's teaching philosophy is grounded in mutual respect, a caring environment, and a sense of humor. He understands that students learn best when they feel valued and supported, and he strives to create a classroom atmosphere where everyone feels welcome and included. By incorporating personal narratives and family histories into the curriculum, Jon helps students connect their own lives to the broader historical context, making learning both relevant and engaging.

Smithfield

Lora Calise

Señora Lora is happy to be teaching at SHS, and has served as the department chair for 13 years. Señora has made dozens of trips to Spain with her students, as well as trips to New York City and France.

Lora has been teaching Spanish for 34 years, and has her BA and MAT from Rhode Island College. She has studied abroad, and traveled quite a bit. She loves dancing, interior design, and spending time with her two children.

RIFLA Teacher of the Year

2024 Smithfield Teacher of the Year

2024 Golden Apple Award

South Kingstown

Pamela Dolan

Elementary Education Teacher- First Grade

Peace Dale Elementary School

South Providence

Cameron St. Germain

Cameron St. Germain has dedicated his career to advancing educational equity, both in the classroom and at the policy level. His vast experiences are rooted in his belief in a more equitable and just future for all students regardless of background. He is teaching first grade at Southside Elementary Charter School in South Providence. As a teacher at various Providence, Rhode Island, and Phoenix, Arizona schools, Cameron has implemented, differentiated, and tailored curricula for his students' needs. At Vista College Prep in Phoenix, Arizona, Cameron designed a K-2 social-emotional curriculum used across the network, and his transformative work was recognized with the Maya Angelou Know Better, Do Better award. Additionally, as a Teach For America Corps Member, he played a key role in supporting student success and building leadership among fellow educators. Beyond the classroom, Cameron has significantly influenced educational policies. As a Policy Advisor Fellow for Assemblywoman Selena Torres through Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE), he provided crucial counsel on ELL teaching practices and diversifying the teaching pipeline. His advocacy extends to adult education, where he launched a successful social media campaign and presented policy reform ideas in Rhode Island. As an Adelante Fellow at ALL in Education, he collaborates with changemakers on projects aimed at improving educational outcomes for the Latinx community. His deep commitment to educational equity is further evidenced by previous roles, including internships with Congressman Jim Langevin’s office and various research and advocacy positions focused on food policy and homelessness. During his time as a research associate at the Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center, he interviewed many notable individuals in the field of food policy, including Congresswoman Chellie Pingree. He anticipates graduating at the doctoral level from Johns Hopkins University in Urban Leadership in the summer of 2025. He holds his Master's degree in Elementary Education from Arizona State University and his Bachelor's of Science in Public Health from The George Washington University. At 29, his goal is to continue creating instrumental change, and he has devoted his life to creating an equitable and just educational system.

Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts(TAPA)

Smaylin Reyes

MLL Coordinator

TAPA

The Compass School

Elissa Crandall

Elementary Education Teacher -Grade 2

The Compass School

The Greene School

Brian Flamand

Special Educator

The Greene School

The Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical center

Matthew Guertin

Matthew's educational mission is to make mathematics engaging and accessible to all students. For the past 12 years as a mathematics teacher at the Met School, Matt has created and facilitated student-centered and inquiry-based instruction for courses ranging from pre-algebra to pre-calculus. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island in 2012, Matt was committed to working as a teacher in an urban district. To further his skills in being an advocate for equity, Matt worked as a facilitator for the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity (CLEE) where he worked with educational leaders across the state to tackle problems of practice in their schools through an equity lens. In addition to teaching his students, Matt is a passionate mentor for pre-service teachers. Partnering with URI, Matt has mentored over 10 student teachers during his time at the Met. Matt also participates as a guest lecturer at URI, RIC, and Framingham State University to facilitate interactive workshops with pre-service teachers focused on how to incorporate student-centered performance tasks into their instruction. Matt has also worked as a task writer, creating accessible mathematics performance tasks for middle and high school. When not in the classroom, Matt works as a competitive youth climbing coach for Central Rock Gym, helping to hone his climber's skills on the rock wall, build strength off the wall, and develop skills to stay focused and calm during competitions. An avid climber himself, Matt has created climbing groups across New England focused on providing LGTB+ climbers a safe and inclusive community to learn and grow as a climber. If you're looking for a way to make a lesson more interactive and engaging for all learners, Matt is the teacher to ask!

Tiverton

Leonarda Cusumano

Tiverton High School

Secondary Chemistry Teacher -Grades 9-12

The Urban Collabortaive

Amanda Lutrario

The UCAP School

Middle School Social Studies Teacher

Warwick

Jeffrey Lawson

Jeff has been a high school English teacher for 24 years, all of them in Warwick. He taught at Warwick Veterans Memorial High School for the first sixteen years of his career until moving to Pilgrim High School, where he currently teaches. His teaching journey took a non-linear path. After graduating from Brandeis University in 1981 with a BA in English and American Literature, he worked in the private sector for many years, before eventually returning to school and completing the Teacher Certification program at Providence College in 2000. The most influential factor in Jeff's teaching career occurred when he became associated with the Rhode Island Writing Project (RIWP) during his third year in teaching. He was drawn to the organization because he felt that he was assigning writing tasks to his students rather than knowing how to teach them to write well. RIWP's philosophical motto is "teachers teaching teachers." Twenty-plus years of working with the organization -- participating in and facilitating professional development, presenting at conferences both locally and nationally, and writing, sharing, and learning with like-minded colleagues -- has profoundly shaped him professionally and personally. He has been on the Executive Board of RIWP for the last 12 years and one of its co-directors for the last 4. As an educator, his RIWP involvement mirrors how he interacts with colleagues; the "teachers teaching teachers" philosophy leads him to engage with his fellow teachers, openly sharing ideas and activities with others in the hopes of improving everyone's knowledge and performance as a means to ultimately benefit students. In the classroom, Jeff takes the approach that all students can learn and improve regardless of ability. He constantly pushes students to be the best that they can be, and preaches to them that they can be successful if they put in the effort. He makes sure students know that good grades are earned and promises to establish high standards for all learners and to hold them accountable. At the same time, he emphasizes that grades are only one measure of success, and that it's not the grades that are important, it's the learning. He strives to create an atmosphere in his class where learning is challenging but fun, where every student is valued and supported, and where all are encouraged to respect others and themselves. He acknowledges to them that they will make mistakes in judgment and must be responsible for their actions, but that tomorrow is a new day and he will always be there to support them. He feels one of the best parts of his job is building friendly relationships with all of his students, regardless of ability level.

Westerly

John Tedeschi

John Tedeschi is an artist and educator. He teaches drawing and painting at Westerly HIgh School and is the Fine Arts Chair for Westerly Public Schools. John was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and he earned his BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University in Illustration and more recently a Post-Baccalaureate certificate from Lyme Academy. John was recognized as Rhode Island Art Educator of the Year in 2017 and currently Westerly Teacher of the Year 2024-25. John has been commissioned for public and private works. Tedeschi is a figurative, portrait painter and often incorporates printmaking into his processes. John uses oils, watercolors and woodcuts in a variety of applications. John is deeply integrated in his community and depicts everyday life by participating and portraying aspects of work and play. John’s has designed the set for Colonial Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park for the past 4 years . You can view John’s work on Instagram @johntedeschiart

West Warwick

Dana Papitto

Dana earned a B.A. in Sociology from Rhode Island College in 2002, and immediately began her Master of Arts in Teaching with certification in Elementary Grades 1-6 from 2002-2004. Dana student taught at Horgan Elementary School in West Warwick in 2004 and has been with the school district ever since. Dana worked as a substitute teacher and was hired permanently in 2005 by West Warwick Public Schools. She pursued her School Counselor certification while teaching elementary grades 4 and 5 at John F. Horgan Elementary School. After taking a parental leave to stay home with her first child, Dana returned to work as the Dropout Prevention/Mentor Coordinator in 2011. The program was established and had approximately 25 volunteer mentors when Dana began. The mentors volunteer to meet with elementary through high school age students for one hour per week at school to build a trusting relationship and additional positive connection to the school and community. The program has grown over the years and West Warwick Public Schools now has over 55 mentors serving more than 60 students. A majority of the mentors are able to return year after year to work with the same student. The children and families value the trusting relationships they have developed with the mentors over the years. Working with the community to recruit and train mentors led to Dana being asked to assist with expanding industry partnerships for the high school CTE and Pathway Programs. Through this work and mentoring, Dana has developed partnerships and helped build social capital for students and families in the West Warwick Public School System. West Warwick Public Schools has been a long time partner of MENTOR RI, the state mentor affiliate. Dana has worked collaboratively with the organization for years ensuring best practices in mentoring. Currently, the district is collaborating with MENTOR RI on the Relationship Centered Schools Initiative through MENTOR National with a focus on our middle school. Over the last two years, Dana has also been working with middle school guidance on a peer mentoring program for our new 5th grade students.

Woonsocket

Danielle DeRotto

.Danielle DeRotto is the ELA Department Chair at Woonsocket High School and has been teaching for 31 years. She attended Emerson College as a theater major but then transferred to Rhode Island College where she studied Communications. While taking courses in Broadcast Journalism she took several English courses "just for fun" and earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees. After graduation, Danielle began working at a local radio station in Woonsocket where several teachers also worked part-time. They convinced her to try substitute teaching and the rest is history! She went back to RIC, earned her M.A.T in English, and began her career at WHS. Danielle's background in broadcasting combined with her passion for literature and theater has come in handy when trying to convince teenagers that Shakespeare rocks! Danielle is a member of the PBIS team at her school and believes in forming strong relationships with her students. Her motto is "Be kind" because everyone is struggling. Showing empathy and offering a kind word helps students develop respect and trust increasing their chances of being academically successful. There is no better feeling than having students from previous years stop by my room just to say hello or give a quick hug.

Educator

Congratulations 24-25 DTOYs

Educator

Congratulations 24-25 DTOYs

2025 Rhode Island Teacher of the Year

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