Watch: A conversation with Newport School Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain

Newport Public Schools Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain faces challenges as the district grapples with funding issues and staffing changes ahead of the upcoming school year.

A resolution before the Newport City Council proposes awarding the school building committee approximately $4 million for the Rogers High School construction project, with contingencies. The school district had initially requested $2.2 million by July 1 to secure a temporary certificate of occupancy for the new building.

“We’re hoping tonight to hear from the council the reasons why and hopefully just get our 2.2. But we’ll see what happens tonight at the council meeting,” Jermain said.

The resolution includes conditions requiring the school department to reduce its contingency fund to less than 3% of the total operating budget. Jermain expressed concern about the impact on funds set aside for building repairs and educational support.

“It appears using our own funds to fund the building gap, project gap, or do some emergency repairs and safety repairs at Thompson, which we already have in our contingency fund budget,” she explained.

The superintendent also addressed recent staffing changes, including the reassignment of reading specialists and multilingual learner (MLL) teachers to classroom positions. These moves have sparked a dispute with the teachers union, now headed to arbitration.

“Basically, I think I can say this. I think each believes they followed the contract and now we’re going to have a third party take a look to see if we did or did not,” Jermain said.

She emphasized that no MLL-certified teachers were laid off, and the district aims to provide more comprehensive support by placing these specialists in regular classrooms.

“The classroom teacher is the most effective impact for student achievement and learning,” Jermain stated. “So, you know, you’ll have your 21 to 23 students, and that one teacher will be overseeing that support.”

Newport has seen a significant increase in its MLL student population, quadrupling from 81 students in the 2013-2014 school year to 346 in 2023. This growth reflects statewide trends, with Rhode Island experiencing the highest growth in Hispanic population nationwide.

“Rhode Island had the number one growth in the nation, and we have the fifth highest percentage of MLL students across all states,” Jermain noted.

The district is working to ensure teachers have the necessary certifications to support MLL students. A one-year certification program is available to teachers, with the district covering the cost.

Jermain acknowledged the challenges of implementing these changes, stating, “Change is hard for everyone, and I think that’s probably the biggest challenge. And communication, if anything, communication.”

Despite these hurdles, the superintendent highlighted several recent achievements, including improved attendance rates, athletic successes, and academic accomplishments.

“Rogers did an unbelievable job for attendance. They did a great job. And kudos to principal Vance, assistant principal Monahan, Miss Bulcarelli, the teachers, everyone for that. That’s a huge one,” Jermain said.

As the district prepares for the upcoming school year, Jermain remains focused on supporting staff and students through the transition.

“We just want Newport public schools to be a place where every child succeeds, reach his or her full potential, and is a great place where everyone wants to send their children,” she said.

The superintendent’s comments come as Newport schools navigate complex challenges, balancing the needs of a diverse student population with budgetary constraints and evolving educational strategies. The outcome of ongoing discussions and arbitration will likely shape the district’s approach in the coming months.

More From Our Chat

Multi-Language Learners (MLL) in Newport Schools

Rhode Island saw the greatest nationwide growth in Hispanic population and has the 5th highest percentage of MLL students across all states
Newport’s MLL student population quadrupled from 81 in 2013-14 to 346 in 2022-23, a 327% increase
State regulations on MLL education are outdated and not compliant with federal law
The district is working to ensure all teachers have proper MLL certification and training to support these students
17 teachers currently have MLL certification, with more being trained
MLL certified teachers do not necessarily need to be fluent in the student’s language, but must use specific instructional strategies

Teacher Staffing Changes

No reading specialists or MLL teachers were laid off
Reading specialists are being moved into classroom teaching roles to provide literacy expertise to all students
16 initial teacher layoffs occurred, with 9 brought back so far and efforts to rehire the remaining 10
45 teacher displacements also took place, with all those teachers placed in new positions

Rogers High School Construction Funding

The city council is considering a resolution to provide $4 million in additional funding for the Rogers project
This is more than the $2.2 million requested by July 1st to cover cash flow needs
Contingencies in the resolution include reducing the district’s contingency fund below 3% of the operating budget

Dispute with Teachers Union