To the editor:

As the 2025-2026 school year closes out, a new superintendent has been chosen and will lead the district into the future. He has much work to do, and we are all rooting for him to be successful.

Over the past two years, East Providence Education Association surveys showed many warning flags, which he will hopefully address. The results of these surveys were discussed with the previous administration and presented to school committee members in the hopes of working out the issues and improving areas of concern. The fact that our previous superintendent left with a year still left on her contract might be an indication that, rather than being able to reach consensus on how to improve things in the district, the chasm became worse.

The following are data from recent EPEA surveys. Read them and decide for yourself if they present red flags to you. I have been a teacher in the district for 37 years, and have not seen this type of feedback before.

• Do you believe the district leadership has East Providence on the right track in regard to teacher morale? NO 74%
• Do you trust the district leadership to support you? NO 65%
• District initiatives and policies are rolled out effectively. NO 64%
• I believe that the Superintendent understands what it is like to be a teacher in East Providence in 2025. NO 68%
• Which of the following applies? Satisfied or Not Satisfied with the district leadership? NOT SATISFIED 65%
• This year, are student behaviors the same, better or worse? WORSE 68%
• Student behaviors are addressed effectively by building administration? NO 67%
• I feel like my time is respected and I am provided adequate time, and support to implement district initiatives. NO 60%
• Elementary Only: I believe program changes taking place in elementary schools will positively affect the learning of my students. NO 68%
• If you could have another job outside of the East Providence School District, would you take that job? YES 57%

As you can see, East Providence’s new Superintendent has some hard work in front of him to turn the district around. The teachers in this district have been waiting patiently for a partner to work with them.

Behavioral and academic standards need to be set, taught, practiced and reinforced. Students have to be taught that all actions have consequences, both good and bad and that as they continue to grow life will require them to be more and more accountable for their actions. When these foundations are set in the elementary schools, less time needs to be spent handling unacceptably disruptive behavior, and more time can be spent on teaching and learning, which is our mission.

I am glad to hear that the former superintendent has withdrawn her candidacy for school committee. There are many good things in our district, but there are areas where we have lost our way and need to reset. It is in everyone’s interests to have the new superintendent succeed, or not, on his own merit without having a former superintendent in a position to oversee all decisions.

My hope for the district of East Providence is that new leadership will bring eyes willing to see, ears willing to hear, and minds willing to collaborate.

Mary Teixeira
Barrington