Superintendent's Message
September 2025 Superintendent’s Message to the Community
As we begin the 2025-2026 school year, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of our students, families, and staff. The leadership team and I hope that everyone has had a wonderful summer and is ready to return to school. The first days of school are always filled with energy, excitement, and anticipation, and it is exciting to see our classrooms, hallways, and athletic fields coming alive again. Our students bring a vibrant energy to our community, and it is good to see them again.
This summer, we have been preparing for what we hope will be our best school year yet. We are committed to building on our strengths and successes from last year, and working together to ensure every student feels inspired, supported, and challenged. Our teachers and staff have been preparing thoughtfully over the summer, and we are ready to partner with families to create a safe, engaging, and successful school year for all.
Not only have we been preparing academically, but we have seen a great deal of progress at all three of our school construction sites throughout the summer. The final phase of construction at Eden Park began in July, the first phase of construction at AES started in August, and the construction of Gladstone School continues. We are on budget and on track to open the new Gladstone for students for the 2026-2027 school year.
Positive attendance continues to be a priority in our Cranston Public Schools. We know that students cannot succeed if they are not in school on time, all day, every day, when they are well. Every day is important for every student from PreK through high school graduation. We have seen positive impacts on our test scores and our graduation rates for those students who prioritize school attendance. An absence is defined by being out of school for more than 50% of the school day, and students are categorized as chronically absent when they have missed 10% or more of the school year. Our district’s Dean of Students is ready to assist families in getting their children to school and works closely with our school-based attendance teams to support students and families. Our school-based attendance teams are there to support our students in school and help to get them the service referrals for out-of-school resources as needed. Our daily attendance data is studied carefully, and we reach out to our families as soon as we see an attendance issue. We ask all of our families, students, and community members to prioritize student attendance as well.
The start of school is not only a time for new beginnings, but also an opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to learning, growth, and community. Thank you for the trust you place in us each day to educate and care for your children. Together, we can make this year a memorable one. On behalf of the entire district, I wish you a wonderful start to the school year. We look forward to learning, growing, and celebrating successes together in the months ahead.
Sincerely,
Jeannine Nota-Masse
Superintendent, Cranston Public Schools