2020 -- H 7009 | |
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LC003251 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2020 | |
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N | |
EXPRESSING DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF BARRY JOHN RICCI | |
WHO WAS THE DISTINGUISHED SUPERINTENDENT OF THE CHARIHO REGIONAL | |
SCHOOL DISTIRCT | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Kennedy, Mattiello, Filippi, Price, and Shekarchi | |
Date Introduced: January 07, 2020 | |
Referred To: House read and passed | |
1 | WHEREAS, Barry John Ricci, the highly respected Superintendent of the Chariho |
2 | Regional School District, passed away on December 22, 2019, after a courageous fight with |
3 | cancer. A resident of Foster, Mr. Ricci was the beloved husband of Lisa Ricci for thirty-five |
4 | years; and |
5 | WHEREAS, Mr. Ricci was born in Providence, raised in North Providence and attended |
6 | public schools in North Providence. He attained a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary |
7 | Education from Rhode Island College and a Master’s degree in Elementary School |
8 | Administration from Providence College. He began his exemplary education career serving as a |
9 | teacher at St. Aloysius School in Greenville, then later at St. Augustine School in Providence. At |
10 | the young age of twenty-three, he became the Principal at St. Joseph’s School in West Warwick; |
11 | and |
12 | WHEREAS, Mr. Ricci started his public school career at Maisie E. Quinn School in West |
13 | Warwick, where he served as the Assistant Principal. He later served as the Principal of the |
14 | Western Coventry Elementary School for fourteen years; and |
15 | WHEREAS, In 2001, Mr. Ricci came to Chariho to serve as the Assistant Superintendent |
16 | before being named the Superintendent of the Chariho Regional School District in 2005. Over the |
17 | last fifteen years, Mr. Ricci has worked tirelessly to make the school district a place that met the |
18 | needs of the entire community, from students, parents and teachers to the hardworking taxpayers; |
19 | and |
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1 | WHEREAS, Mr. Ricci was responsible for eight schools and 3,000 students. Under his |
2 | leadership, guidance and direction, Chariho was transformed into one of the top ten performing |
3 | school districts in Rhode Island and became a vibrant and innovative place to teach and learn. Mr. |
4 | Ricci raised academic standards by eliminating all classes that were below high school level |
5 | expectations, and added Advanced Placement courses; and |
6 | WHEREAS, Mr. Ricci’s other accomplishments were the completion of the renovations |
7 | of the Chariho campus in 2011, a project that had been languishing since 1992, and the |
8 | renovation of the Alternative Learning Academy in 2014. In 2018, in recognition of his numerous |
9 | achievements, Mr. Ricci was named the Superintendent of the Year by the Rhode Island |
10 | Superintendents Association. He was also a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and the best |
11 | friend anyone could have. Mr. Ricci was a communicant of Holy Apostles Church and served as a |
12 | Eucharistic Minister; and |
13 | WHEREAS, Mr. Ricci never stopped fighting for his school community, even while |
14 | fighting his cancer. He stayed in contact with Legislators and State Officials even while preparing |
15 | for surgery, and literally called and emailed people from his hospital room. In the words of Rhode |
16 | Island Commissioner of Education, Angelica Infante-Green, Superintendent Ricci “never stopped |
17 | working for Chariho schools, and he will be dearly missed by all of us in education, in Chariho, |
18 | and across the State”; and |
19 | WHEREAS, Mr. Ricci, in addition to his wife Lisa Ricci, leaves behind his sons, |
20 | Christopher and his wife, Diana, and Michael and his wife, Jessica. He also leaves behind his |
21 | grandson Samuel John, his parents John V. and Evelyn Ricci, and was the brother of Debra Maio |
22 | and her husband, Michael. He was the son-in-law of Dick and Marie Mazzarella, and also leaves |
23 | behind his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, and numerous nephews and nieces; now, therefore |
24 | be it |
25 | RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and |
26 | Providence Plantations hereby expresses its deepest condolences to the Ricci Family on the |
27 | passing of Barry John Ricci; and be it further |
28 | RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to |
29 | transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mrs. Lisa Ricci and Family. |
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LC003251 | |
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