2021 -- S 0921

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LC002861

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING AND THANKING CARINA MONGE FOR HER DEDICATED AND

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE TO THE PROVIDENCE PUBLIC SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

AND THE RHODE ISLAND STATE SENATE

     Introduced By: Senators Ciccone, de la Cruz, Ruggerio, Sosnowski, Picard, Lombardo,
F Lombardi, and Burke

     Date Introduced: May 20, 2021

     Referred To: Placed on the Senate Consent Calendar

     WHEREAS, Carina Monge is a Culture Coordinator with the Providence Public School

System who has spent the last fifteen years making an enormous difference in the lives of many

students and their families; and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Monge was born and raised in the Dominican Republic to parents of

Lebanese descent. Since coming to Rhode Island, she has been very active in the Latino

community and has served as a liaison connecting the school system with the wider community

and the families of the children attending its schools; and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Monge’s professional career began as a part-time career and technical

coordinator at the high school level working tirelessly to provide career opportunities and real-

world awareness to her students; and

     WHEREAS, Most recently, Ms. Monge transitioned to the position of Culture

Coordinator at Esek Hopkins Middle School in Providence. Her duties include a wide and varied

array of tasks, all with the goal of making the schooling experience as smooth as possible for all

parties involved. Some of her responsibilities include helping students work out their differences

with one of their teachers, finding an alternative to a suspension through a process called

restorative justice, and working with the city to address issues relating to student absenteeism;

and

     WHEREAS, At Esek Hopkins, one of the City’s schools that has struggled with low

academic performance, Ms. Monge, has worked to inspire students to re-engage with their studies

and work through their life’s struggles in order to not let them affect their academic performance.

She works with students, parents and school officials in an assortment of ways to improve the

lives of all members of the school family. Being bilingual, Ms. Monge is able to connect with

Spanish-speaking parents who may be leery of talking to officials, work with students with

excessive absences, teens dealing with trauma, and often she serves as a liaison with the local

police; and

     WHEREAS, Ms. Monge is also more than willing to think outside the box to get results.

She has launched “power lunches,” handed out Hula Hoops to get kids moving, helped students

launch an LGBTQ club, connected local musicians with the school's band, brought in leading

community leaders to speak at Career Day, and has linked students with summer jobs. Ms.

Monge is always willing to go the extra mile to reach a young person in need of help and has

made a positive difference in the lives of countless Providence School Department students and

their families; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island hereby thanks Ms. Carina

Monge for all the hard work and success she has had working for the Providence School

Department, and also thanks her for her diligent efforts as the Clerk of the Rhode Island Senate

Labor Committee; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Ms. Carina Monge.

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LC002861

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