Budget Commission OKs New Principals

The Woonsocket Budget Commission has approved the hiring of Donna Raptakis and Lisa Jacques as principals of and , respectively.

The two $89,000 per year appointments were made by the Woonsocket School Committee early last week and approved by the Budget Commission during its Aug. 30 meeting.

Raptakis, the former principal of Washington Oak School in Coventry, attended the Budget Commission meeting. "I'm looking forward to it," Raptakis said shortly before the Commission approved the School Committee's appointments. Jacques did not attend.

"Dr. Raptakis comes to us with 28 years of excellence in teaching," said Superintendent Giovanna Donoyan. Raptakis was Washington Oak's principal for seven years. Before that, she was principal at Oak Haven in Coventry for nine years and an assistant principal at Washington Oak four years before that. She also spent two years as a teacher in Coventry Schools before becoming an administrator.

She began her career as a special education teacher in Stonington, CT for six years before coming to Rhode Island. 

Raptakis resigned as principal of Washington Oak School in Coventry in May to pursue other opportunities, according to Coventry Superintendent Michael Convery. She replaces Principal Donna Coderre, who took over as principal at Leo Savoy School.

Jacques has been with the Woonsocket Education Department for 10 years, said School Committee member Anita McGuire-Forcier. She spent about eight years as a math teacher before taking a position as K-12 Mathematics Instructional Leader for the district. She replaces former Coleman and Fifth Avenue Schools principal Ronald Celio, who resigned.