Experienced educator and talented leader Georgia Fortunato is the new interim superintendent of the #MiddletownRI schools.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 842-6543 or msheley@middletownri.com
FORTUNATO NAMED INTERIM SUPERINTENDENT
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (SEPTEMBER 21, 2023) – Georgia Fortunato is the new interim superintendent of Middletown schools.
A longtime educator who served as superintendent of the Lincoln school system, Fortunato takes over in the interim for Superintendent Rosemarie K. Kraeger, who is out on Family Medical Leave Act.
Before she was elevated to the top spot with the schools, Fortunato was appointed over the summer to consult with the new Student Services Department. The department oversees special education and related services for the district.
“My message to all constituents is to continue the good work of the very talented leadership team, dedicated teachers/staff, amazing students and supportive parents,” Fortunato said. “Middletown is a special community and I am honored to serve in this role.”
School Committee Chairwoman Theresa Spengler and Vice Chairwoman Tami Holden thanked Fortunato for her work for the district and applauded her service to the community.
“With Georgia’s vast educational and leadership experience, she fully understands all aspects of the interim role,” Spengler and Holden said. “She has an amazing team around her led by Assistant Superintendent Michelle Fonseca and the two of them will allow Middletown to continue moving forward in very qualified hands.”
Fortunato has been working in the educational field more than 40 years. That included time as a special education teacher, special education department chair, Director of Student Service and then Lincoln school superintendent, a position she held for more than 11 years.
When she retired in 2018 as the superintendent in Lincoln, Fortunato was appointed as executive director of the Northern Rhode Island Collaborative until its closure on June 30.
Fortunato said she was recruited to offer expertise in best practice recommendations to the new Director of Student Services Lisa Birkett to help make the department second to none in Rhode Island.
Asked how long she would remain in her current role, Fortunato said she was unsure, but she was committed to stay in place as long as the community needed her services.
As for why the Middletown schools are a place students, parents and the community should be proud of, Fortunato was clear — “Middletown has a strong tradition of excellence in their public schools. A community which truly supports education.”
The School Committee is expected to discuss the Fortunato’s authority and duties at its meeting today at 4:30 pm from the Oliphant administration building.
The news comes on the heels of an announcement last month that Kraeger planned on retiring at the end of the 2023-2024 school year after more than 26 years at the helm of the Middletown schools. Visit https://www.middletownri.com/DocumentCenter/View/9268/NYCU-Kraeger to read an announcement about that move.
Document Link: https://www.middletownri.com/DocumentCenter/View/9432/NYCU-Georgia
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