Who’s New

Rhodes Elementary School:

We’re pleased to announce that Ms. Heather Breton is the new principal of Rhodes Elementary School. Ms. Breton is a lifelong Cranston resident and attended Cranston Public Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. For the past 20 years she taught second grade at Garden City Elementary school. Beginning in 2020, she became a district Instructional Coach, working with teachers to incorporate technology and small group instruction into their classrooms. She was very involved with the transition to the new Garden City Elementary School, where she was part of the design planning and the instructional planning for Project Based Learning (PBL). In addition to her classroom teaching, she has served as co-chair of the School Improvement Team, coordinated a parent workshop on the Science of Reading, and was a pilot teacher for the district to implement blended and personalized learning in the classroom, working with the Highlander Institute as a Fuse Fellow to coach educators in Jamestown as they also implemented blending and personalized learning with their students.

“I am committed to fostering a positive and collaborative learning environment, and I believe that it’s important to build strong relationships with students, staff and parents as they are all invaluable assets to the school community,” she said.

Ms. Breton is very excited to be joining the school community at Rhodes, and shared the following with us, “I am very excited to be the principal at Rhodes and be part of an amazing team and community. I look forward to working with everyone to create an exceptional learning experience for our students.

Stadium Elementary School:

We are thrilled to have Mr. Derek Gustafson at the helm of Stadium Elementary School this year. He was most recently an assistant principal at Western Hills Middle School. Mr. Gustafson began teaching in 2009 at a charter high school as a health and physical education teacher. He recently shared a little bit about his career journey with us, saying, “In 2015, I had the pleasure of coming to work in Cranston where I attended school from kindergarten through 12th grade. I was a health and physical education teacher at Gladstone Elementary and then in 2020 I began as an assistant principal at Western Hills Middle School.”

Students spend so much time at their school and Derek feels it is necessary to create a welcoming environment where students want to be there on a daily basis. He feels it is imperative as a school leader to foster a school community where students are safe, comfortable and able to learn. Students, teachers and staff are the heart and soul of the school building and Derek is thrilled at the opportunity to support them in the learning community and educational process.

“I am beyond excited to join the incredible team and school community at Stadium Elementary,” he said.

Western Hills Middle School:

We are so pleased to welcome Mr. Mark Thibault to Western Hills Middle School where he will be an assistant principal. Mr. Thibault comes to us from outside the district and he shared a little bit about his background with us.

“I received my Bachelor of Science from the University of Rhode Island, my Master of Arts in Human Development from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and my Master of Education in School Leadership from Providence College,” he said. “I have enjoyed working with students in various settings throughout the last three decades. I began my career at Ocean Tides Child & Family Services. I worked in an alternative learning program at the East Providence School District. I served as the district’s crisis prevention instructor and later operated a conflict resolution center at the East Providence High School. Most recently, I served as the Vice Principal of Student Life at Saint Raphael Academy for the last 11 years. I also coached youth sports and was the Assistant Boys’ Soccer Coach at Saints from 2014 to 2019.”

Mr. Thibault shared with us some of the things he enjoys when he’s not at work.

“My wife, Brenda, and I have three adult children and one granddaughter,” he said. “I enjoy hiking, traveling, beaches, and dogs. I also like watching New England sports teams and RI FC. Most of all, I enjoy watching students compete in athletic events or showcase their talents in theatrical performances. As a former high school soccer coach and administrator, I know firsthand the Cranston School District’s rich history of athletic excellence.”

Marc is very excited to be at Western Hills Middle School.

“My goal as a school leader has always been to build authentic relationships based on trust, respect, and integrity,” he said. “I aim to foster a positive learning environment that values each person’s unique strengths and promotes growth and a sense of belonging. I am passionate about working collaboratively with students, parents, colleagues, and community members to ensure every person in our school community achieves their true potential.”

Who’s Who CPS Executive Team:

Superintendent: Jeannine Nota-Masse

Assistant Superintendent: Norma Cole

Chief Financial Officer: Joseph Balducci

Chief Human Resources Officer: Michael Crudale

Executive Director of Pupil Personnel Services: Michele Simpson

Executive Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Grants: Roxanne Gustafson

Executive Director of Secondary Programs: Zachary Farrell

Chief Technology Officer: Donna-Marie Frappier

Chief of Facilities Management and Capital Projects: Ed Collins

Who’s Who Building Principals:

Cranston High School East: Thomas Barbieri

Cranston High School West: John Fontaine

Apprenticeship Exploration School: Lindsey Tavares

CACTC: Zachary Farrell

Hugh B. Bain Middle School: Keith Croft

Park View Middle School: Alex Kanelos

Hope Highlands Middle School: Sean Kelly

Western Hills Middle School: Timothy Vesey

Arlington Elementary School: Patricia Caporelli

William Dutemple Elementary: Nicholas Ruggieri

Eden Park Elementary: Jennifer Randall

Edgewood Highland Elementary: Ryan Kavanagh

Garden City Elementary: Bryan Byerlee

Gladstone Street Elementary: Amy Vachon

Glen Hills Elementary: Beth Basile-Daggett

Oak Lawn Elementary: James Zanfini

Orchard Farms Elementary: Cheri Sacco

George J. Peters: Tara Gianfrancesco

Edward S. Rhodes: Heather Breton

Stadium Elementary: Derek Gustafson

Stone Hill Elementary: Tricia Rotondo

Woodridge Elementary: Marisa Jackson