The Newport School Committee has new leadership following recent elections and an organizational meeting. James Dring will serve as the new chair, and Rebecca Bolan will serve as vice chair.
The committee also welcomed two new members, Dr. Robert Power and Beth Cullen, who were elected on Nov. 5.
Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain announced the changes during an interview with What’sUpNewp on November 20, saying, “At School committee, we have Mr. Jim Dring. James Dring is going to be the chair and Becky Bolan will stay on as the vice chair.”
The leadership transition comes as the district faces several challenges, including ongoing labor negotiations and the construction of a new high school.
Jermain expressed optimism about working with the new committee members. “We do have a shift in the school committee. We do have some new members and we look forward to working collaboratively with them,” she said.
The superintendent highlighted the experience of the new members. “One is Dr. Robert Power, who’s been on the committee before and has a lot of school experience. And the other is Mrs. Beth Cullen, Mrs. Beth Cullen, who has always been part of the city committees and work and is a very devoted community person.”
The 2024 – 2026 Newport School Committee will consist of Jim Dring as Chair, Rebecca Bolan as Vice Chair, and Beth Cullen, Stephanie Winslow, Robert Leary, and Sandra Flowers, and Robert Power as members.
Dring is grateful and honored by his colleague’s support.
“I’m grateful and honored to be chosen as chair by my fellow committee members and look forward to leading the school committee this coming term,” Dring told What’sUpNewp by email on Wednesday night.” My main goals as chair are to make sure the new Rogers High School is completed on time and with no more overages. Saving the NACTC building and all the programs that we currently have including cosmetology. Increasing student outcomes for all students and also renewing regionalization talks with Middletown”.
Bolan, who is currently Chair, shared with What’sUpNewp why she was stepping back.
“Stepping back from being the chair will allow me to really focus on getting the building finished as the Vice Chair,” Bolan shared with What’sUpNewp by email on Wednesday night. “I plan to help Jim as much as possible as he has a busy schedule. I also felt as this is my last term on the School Committee that turning over the chair position would give somebody who is most likely going to stay on for another term the leadership role”.
“I believe we’ve come to a really good arrangement and I’m excited to see what the next two years hold,” Bolan said.
The new committee will be sworn in on Dec. 1 at 3 p.m. at CCRI.
One of the first challenges facing the new committee will be ongoing labor negotiations. The district is scheduled to meet with the state Labor Board on Nov. 21 to discuss unfair labor practice charges filed by the teachers’ union.
“We are scheduled tomorrow to be up at the Labor board from 9 to noon,” Jermain said. “Nothing’s changed there and we’ll wait and see.”
The superintendent also noted that the district is in the process of selecting an arbitrator for grievance hearings.
Another major focus for the committee will be overseeing the completion of the new high school, slated to open in September 2025. The Newport City Council recently approved an additional $2.9 million in funding for the project.
“We’re very appreciative of the City Council and they’re awarding the funding from the ask that the school building co chairs put forward,” Jermain said. “We’re looking forward. We just keep looking forward to September 2025 and opening the new building.”
The superintendent noted that construction is progressing well. “They’re wrapping up the outside, the exterior of the building right now. They’re fine tuning the interior of the building,” she said.
However, some programs remain in limbo. Dr. Power campaigned on restoring cosmetology and automotive programs to the new building. Jermain said the district is exploring ways to include these programs, possibly through fundraising efforts.
“We want to try as best as possible to get the cosmetology and the auto program into the new building,” she said. “So that works is underway.”
The new committee will also face budgetary challenges. Jermain said the district is beginning its budget process for the next fiscal year and expects some funding gaps.
“We do expect to have some kind of gap. We’re not sure what that gap is going to be at this moment,” she said.
Despite these challenges, Jermain expressed excitement about the future. “It’s going to be an exciting time, so we’re looking forward to it,” she said.
The first regular meeting of the new school committee is scheduled for Dec. 10, though Jermain hinted that a special meeting might be called sooner.
What’sUpNewp has reached out to Dring for comment.
