Above: Pat Page, center, smiles as Supt. Brian Ricca announces her appointment to the job of principal for EGHS. Photo by Chuck Nadeau

They have both been serving as interim principals for the past year

[Submitted content]

The East Greenwich School Committee voted Tuesday to approve three-year contracts for Melissa Centracchio and Patricia Page to continue serving as the principals of Cole Middle School and East Greenwich High School, respectively. They will officially drop  the “interim” title from their roles on July 5. Centracchio will earn $121,000 a year; Page will earn ​​$123,000 a year.

The process for hiring for these positions followed District Policy 5410.1. Assistant  Superintendent for Teaching and Learning, Michael Podraza convened a screening committee for each role. Four candidates were selected from a pool of eleven for the high school position;  ultimately, only three were interviewed. That committee unanimously recommended Dr. Page as the only finalist. Dr. Ricca interviewed Dr. Page and confirmed the Screening Committee’s recommendation.  

Four candidates were selected from a pool of ten for the middle school position, with two  forwarded to Dr. Ricca as finalists. After interviewing the two finalists, Dr. Ricca selected Ms.  Centracchio to continue serving at Cole.  

When asked about the high school principal position, School Committee Chair Alyson Powell  noted, “Dr. Page is a dedicated and innovative educator who has consistently helped our district  create new pathways and opportunities for our students, and we are excited to have her leading  EGHS into the future.” 

Dr. Page holds graduate degrees in business administration and education and a Ph.D.  specializing in educational technology. Her varied career includes senior management positions  in the private and public sectors responsible for organizational development, employee relations,  compensation, and benefits; technical and leadership training; and information technology.  Within the East Greenwich school district, she has supported students throughout their academic  careers in fulfillment of the high school’s “Vision of a Graduate.” She has served as Performance-Based Graduation Requirements Coordinator, Third-Grade Teacher, Management and Finance  Educator, and Applied Unified Arts Department Chair / CTE Coordinator. As Interim Principal, she guided the high school through the culminating phases of its decennial accreditation process, secured Career and Technical Education (CTE) status for the Performing Arts Pathway, and is spearheading the work of the School Improvement Team to align with district and state strategic goals. 

Dr. Page has forged and scaled meaningful public-private partnerships on a district, state, and  national level to support authentic student learning opportunities. She has worked in tandem with  state and regional education officials, post-secondary administrators and educators, and civic  partners to transform practice and policy to support the successful transition of high-school  students into the post-secondary environment. Dr. Page brings extensive experience in designing, implementing, and evaluating strategic plans, person-centered policies, and compliance-based initiatives in support of organizational objectives.  

You can find Dr. Page outside the district supporting nonprofit ventures throughout the state. She and her husband, David, live in East Greenwich and are the proud parents of two EGHS  graduates.  

Melissa Centracchio at her desk at Cole Middle School. Submitted photo

Chairwoman Powell shared this as she reflected on Ms. Centracchio’s presence in EG, “Strong leadership  is the foundation of school success, and it is clear that Cole is thriving under Ms. Centracchio’s leadership. Since stepping up as interim principal, she has inspired the Cole community to be its best every single day. She is admired by students and teachers alike, and we are proud and excited that she will continue her role as principal of Cole Middle School.” 

This marks Ms. Centracchio’s 24th year in education. She has spent the last year and a half at  Cole Middle School as the assistant principal and interim principal. Before coming to East  Greenwich, she was the assistant principal of teaching and learning at Warwick Veterans Middle  School. Before that, Ms. Centracchio was in North Providence for 19 years, where she taught at  the elementary and middle school levels and earned the North Providence Teacher of the Year  distinction in 2016.  

During her time at Cole, Ms. Centracchio has built strong relationships with students, staff, the  community, and her fellow administrators. As an educator, her guiding principle has always been  to put the best interest of students first – which remains her focus as she transitions to this new  role.  

Ms. Centracchio is a lifelong Rhode Island resident. She lives in Warwick with her husband and two daughters. She is an avid hockey fan and enjoys going to the beach and traveling with family and friends. 

In thinking about these hires, Dr. Ricca added: “Both of these educational leaders are known and  trusted members of the EGPS community. Dr. Page was critical in starting our CTE Program this  year, and Ms. Centracchio’s leadership can be traced back to her emphasis on culture and  relationships. They both embrace our Strategic Plan, ‘All Means All,’ in words and actions. I  look forward to their continued leadership for our entire district community. I am incredibly  proud of the work they both have done in their interim roles, and know how thoughtfully and  deliberately they will continue to serve our faculty, staff, students and their families as  permanent educational leaders in East Greenwich.”