RI Commissioner Visits Cumberland High

Deborah Gist, Rhode Island Commissioner of Education, visited Cumberland High School on Wednesday, September 23, 2009. Her visit was planned so that she could meet with the students and teachers of Cumberland, and converse with them about the different issues happening within the school district.
Ms. Gist first met with a select group of students from the high school, middle schools, and elementary schools. During this session, many different topics were discussed, including teacher quality and NECAP testing. After these discussions, Gist addressed mainly the high school students, asking how they felt about the different opportunities that Cumberland has prepared them for. There was a mixed reaction to this topic, with some students feeling prepared for college while others were more tentative, saying that the school could add more business classes.

After meeting with the students, the commissioner met with the faculty and staff of Cumberland. Commissioner Gist also went into detail about certain things she had planned for the district, and opened the meeting up for teachers to ask questions or make comments. Many teachers had the same comments as the children, complaining about the lack of business classes. Also, many commented on professional development, graduation requirements, and service learning approval paperwork.
During this meeting, she discussed the five priorities on her strategic agenda: education, family, students, leadership, and community. Although Gist did not go into details on her agenda, it is posted online at the Rhode Island School District website. Overall the Commissioner’s visit was very successful for both herself and the students and staff of Cumberland, where everyone learned something about the other.