A Brief History
The origins of the Rhode Island Association of School Principals (RIASP) began in 1932 when a group of Rhode Island high school principals saw a need to come together for purposes of organizing interscholastic athletics. Prior to that time, high school sports were conducted in several informal leagues where rules and regulations were very inconsistent and, in some cases, were not being enforced. The RI Association of Secondary School Principals was therefore formed as an unincorporated entity to provide better control and uniformity in athletics.
In the years that followed, the Secondary Schools Principals Association expanded its purposes to include some professional development, the creation of a Committee for the RI Honor Society, participation in the New England Council (a drama association), and increased political activity – especially in relation to athletic interests. The Committee on Athletics clearly dominated most of the association business and discussions at its membership meetings. For liability reasons in the early 1970's, it was decided to incorporate the athletic committee, at which time the RI Interscholastic League (RIIL) was formed as a separate and distinct non-profit corporation. Shortly thereafter, Father Robert Newbold became Executive Director of RIIL and served in that post until he was replace by Richard Lynch in 1994.
In the meantime, the RI Association of Elementary Principals was organized in the 1950's as an informal, unincorporated group. The elementary principals had a different focus than the secondary group. They met about four times each year with interests and concerns generally centered on professional development and educational issues related to elementary education. Unlike their secondary counterparts, they were not involved with political issues until the late 1970's when the issue of principal rights surfaced. It was this common issue and the need to establish strength through increased numbers that inspired the first talk of merging the two associations.
In the spring of 1979, Tom Sweeney, then an assistant principal at Portsmouth High School, was President of the Secondary School Principals Association and Franklin Peters, an elementary principal in Lincoln, was President of the Elementary Principals Association. These two gentlemen, along with West Warwick High Principal Don Gainey and elementary principals John Fratiello of South Kingstown and Dan Andres of Woonsocket came together to consider a merger of the two principal associations. Both groups saw the merger as a move to create a strong single voice for all principals in the state, who would now enjoy the combined resources of the two national associations (NASSP and NAESP). A short time later Don Gainey, who had been the legislative chair for the secondary schools, was active in gaining passage of the first School Administrative Rights legislation for principals (Article 16-12 of the General Laws). This statue was later amended in the mid-1980's to include the now infamous "just cause" provision.
Attorney James McAleer, whose father had served as an attorney for the secondary school principals in the 1940's and 1950's, handled the merger and as such the Rhode Island Association of School Principals became incorporated as a 501(c) 6 corporation in 1979. As stated in its by-laws, the RIASP executive board elected secondary members of RIASP to three-year terms on the RI Interscholastic League Board of Directors, a practice that continues today. The RIASP Executive Board now also elects members to the Middle Level/Junior High School Interscholastic League Board of Directors. With incorporation, James McAleer became RIASP legal counsel and continued in his role as legal counsel to the interscholastic league. To avoid any possible conflict of interest, RIASP currently retains the services of The Law Offices of Stephen M. Robinson in addition to the law firm of McAleer and McAleer.
In the mid-1980's Charles Majkowski, an educational consultant from Cranston, became the part-time executive director of RIASP. William R. Holland, a professor of educational administration at Rhode Island College and a former school superintendent and secondary school principal, succeeded Majkowski in 1990. Both gentlemen served on a part-time basis as independent contractors operating out of their homes. During that period, RIASP membership grew gradually to more than 400. With membership currently approaching 500, a majority of RIASP members are still active principals and assistant principals; however, retired principals, aspiring principals, and associate members are also included in the membership total.
Article II of the By-Laws explains the purposes of RIASP. Over the years, the Association has assumed a more active role in the professional development of school leaders and has expanded its role as an advocate for the principalship. As the mission of RIASP has broadened, the association has increased its collaboration with other educational agencies in the state in the development of programming. The state department of education (RIDE) has also become an active partner with the Association; a RIDE representative currently sits on the RIASP Executive Board and the Professional Development Committee.
To better serve the professional needs of principals, RIASP has worked collaboratively with virtually every other professional organization in the state of Rhode Island, and a few are worthy of mention. The Rhode Island Middle Level Educators (RIMLE) works closely with RIASP to serve the needs of Middle School Principals. In fact, the annual RIASP summer conference includes programming for middle school principals that has been sponsored and developed by RIMLE. The Rhode Island Center for School Leadership (RICSL) was initially established as the professional development arm of RIASP. Today, with an expanded missino to serve all school leaders, the CSL continues to be a valued partner. Most significantly, the Rhode Island Instructional Leadership Acadmey (RIILA) was recently created by RIASP with the sole mission of providing top-flight professional development programming for principals. With funding from the state SAELP grant, RIILA is now providing mentoring programs for new principals, training for aspiring principals and reading circles for veteran principals.
The most significant change that has take place in the brief history of the principals' association occurred in April of 1998 when RIASP moved into permanent offices on the Rhode Island College campus. Building #6, which had previously been used by the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, was renovated under the leadership of the RIC President Dr. John Nazarian to become the home of the Educational Management Collaborative. The EMC combined under one roof the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, the Rhode Island Association of School Committees, the Rhode Island Association of School Administrators, the Rhode Island Athletic Directors' Association, the Rhode Island Center for School Leadership, the Rhode Island Parent-Teacher Association, and the Rhode Island Association of School Principals.
With permanent offices for its staff and meeting rooms for its members and the Board of Directors, RIASP has been able to increase its services to members and to take on new challenges. To assist in its efforts to provide expanded services, Susan Patenaude was hired at about the same time to become the association's first and – to this date – only secretary.
In 1999, William Holland left RIASP to become Rhode Island's Commissioner of Higher Education. Donald Gainey, who had played a key role in the creation of RIASP twenty years earlier, became the new Executive Director in September of 1999. After serving a year in that capacity, Don moved on the following year to new challenges, and John Golden was selected to become Executive Director in October of 2000.
In a series of board retreats in 2001 and 2002 that were sponsored by the Business Education Roundtable, the RIASP Board of Directors planned the future of the association. The strategic plan that resulted identified three targets: making the association more active politically, clarifying the roles and responsibilities of board members, and expanding association services to our members. Progress has been made on each goal, but the improvements in member services have been especially noteworthy. The introduction of this website and of an email listserve in 2003 have greatly improved the capacity of RIASP to keep members informed, and an agreement with MetLife has enabled RIASP to offer a number of new programs that protect the financial security of its members. RIASP is grateful to the BER (now known as The Education Partnership) for assistance that has enabled RIASP to strengthen its organization and better serve its members.
By continuing to work closely with the National Association of Elementary Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and our many friends and partners within the state of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Association of School Principals will serve the best interests of Rhode Island school leaders for decades to come.
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