Leadership shakeup in 7 Providence schools

The Providence school district on Wednesday appointed seven new principals in the city’s lowest performing middle and high schools.

The mid-year shakeup is designed to give the principals a head start on planning as their schools undergo federally-mandated interventions beginning next school year, according to district spokeswoman Christina O’Reilly.

O’Reilly said the changes were not performance-related.

“You can be a very good principal, but not a very good match for a school,” she said.

The appointments include:

• Janelle Clarke-Holley as Principal of DelSesto Middle School
• Robert Dimuccio as Principal of Central High School
• Jeffrey Goss as Principal on Special Assignment at Mount Pleasant High School, supporting Principal Scott Sutherland
• Edward Halpin as Principal of Stuart Middle School
• John Hunt as Principal on Special Assignment overseeing professional development for the district
• Michaela Keegan as Principal of Cooley-PAIS at the Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex
• Dinah Larbi as Principal on Special Assignment at Roger Williams Middle School, supporting Principal Jennifer Vorro
• Jennifer Vorro as acting Principal of Roger Williams Middle School.

“We are in an historic era of school transformation,” Superintendent Dr. Susan Lusi said in a statement. “These principals and assistant principals are men and women of extraordinary strengths and character, and I thank them for their willingness to revisit their roles and functions as members of a greater team striving for school improvement. We are confident that these moves will strengthen the ability of each school to accomplish its goals by leveraging the best qualities of each individual involved.”

Dan McGowan ( dmcgowan@wpri.com ) covers politics and the city of Providence for WPRI.com. Follow him on Twitter: @danmcgowan