Rob DeBlois Resume
ROBERT DEBLOIS, PED.D.
380 Prospect Street
Seekonk, Massachusetts
02771
(508) 336-4532
Education
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
BA, English Education, 1976
BROWN UNIVERSITY
MA, English, 1982
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE
M.ED, Secondary Administration, 1991
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE
Honorary Doctor of Pedagogy, 1993
Delivered Commencement Address to the
graduating class of 1993
Related Experience
URBAN COLLABORATIVE ACCELERATED PROGRAM (UCAP),
PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
Founder, Director, and Chief Executive
Officer, October 1989 - Present: Worked with the school
departments of Central Falls, East Providence, Pawtucket, and
Providence to plan a collaborative school for 128 middle and
junior high school students (grades 7-10) at-risk of dropping
out. Duties include developing curriculum and instructional
plans, developing budget ($1,800,000 in 2002), coordinating
plans with RI Department of Education, finding school site,
developing proposals for funding from both public and private
sources, working with feeder schools to identify and recruit
students, overseeing all legal matters related to incorporation,
overseeing all personnel matters, lobbying in RI General
Assembly for bills related to collaboratives, developing a
strategic plan, preparing annual reports and audits,
coordinating publicity and public relations, overseeing the
acquisition and renovation of a long-term home, arranging
financing of $1,500,000 for acquisition and renovation from both
public and private sources, initiating and coordinating
successful $1,000,000 Capital Campaign, and performing all other
responsibilities connected with daily and long term operation of
the school. The Urban Collaborative was recognized as a Carnegie
Lead School in 1993, and as a model alternative program by the
United States Department of Education in 1995. UCAP has received
local and national recognition as a highly effective program for
at-risk urban youth.
SPIRIT, PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND
Founder and Executive Director, October 1984
- September 1988: In charge of administering all aspects of
public/private collaborative program for at-risk students with
academic potential including development of a budget ($92,000 in
1988), legal matters, publicity, hiring of staff, recruitment
and selection of students, curriculum development, and all other
day-to-day operations. Over a four-year period, raised $260,000
from the private sector. Coordinated successful legislation for
state appropriation of $30,000.
RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE, PROVIDENCE, RHODE
ISLAND
Adjunct faculty, Spring 2001-2004; January
1983 - June 1987: Instructor of courses in high school
curriculum (2001-2004), English composition, Western literature,
and journalism (1983-1987).
UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM, PROVIDENCE, RHODE
ISLAND
English Teacher (grades 9 - 11) and
Coordinator of Language Arts Lab, Summers, 1978 - 1980.
BISHOP KEOUGH HIGH SCHOOL, PROVIDENCE,
RHODE ISLAND
English Teacher, September, 1977 - June,
1980: Senior class advisor, founder and advisor of school
literary magazine. Chaired faculty committee on evaluating
school goals.
CERTIFICATIONS
RI and MA certification as teacher of
secondary English, valid for life; RI provisional certification
as superintendent; and professional certification as secondary
principal, with middle school endorsement.
BOARDS, MEMBERSHIPS, AND AFFILIATIONS
Member, ADVISORY DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE,
Former Legislators Scholarships, The Rhode Island Foundation,
June 2000 - Present.
Member, RHODE ISLAND ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATORS, September 1990 - Present.
Trustee and Chair, SEEKONK LIBRARY TRUST,
September 2002 - Present.
Member, CHARTER SCHOOL EXTERNAL REVIEW
COMMITTEE, RI Department of Education, 1996 - Present. (Also
assisted RI Department of Education in creation of charter
schools by serving on committees to develop a funding plan for
charter schools, as directed by the RI General Assembly, and to
interview and recommend a candidate to serve as the director of
charter schools.)
Mentor Principal, PRINCIPAL RESIDENCY
NETWORK OF RHODE ISLAND, January 2004 - December 2004.
Member, NATIONAL SCHOOL REFORM FACULTY, and
participant in the Principals Institute, sponsored by the
Annenberg Institute for School Reform, June 1996 - June 1998.
Took over coordination of summer principals institute, June 1998
- 2002.
Advisory Board, DORCAS PLACE, January 2000 -
2002.
Associate, THE NELLIE MAY FOUNDATION,
January 2001 - November 2002.
Advisory Board, SUMMERBRIDGE EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM, June 1991 - June 2001. Elected chair of advisory board
in November 1994.
Trustee, THE WHEELER SCHOOL, May 1995 - June
2001.
Board Member, RHODE ISLAND SPECIAL OLYMPICS,
September 1992 - December 2000. Responsible for creation of RI
Mega-Cities Program for urban youth, through the award of a
$120,000 grant from Special Olympics International.
Distribution Committee, Chair, THE DEBLOIS
FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM, 1993 - 2000.
Member, PROVIDENCE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT
STRATEGIC PLANNING TEAM, February 1998 - July 1999.
Member, RHODE ISLAND GOALS 2000 PANEL,
appointed by Governor and Commissioner of Elementary and
Secondary Education, June 1995 - 1997. (Also assisted in the
implementation of Goals 2000 by serving on RI Department of
Education committees to recommend a plan of progressive
intervention and support for failing schools, and to develop a
systemic approach for school visits and evaluations by teams of
educators assembled by the RI Department of Education.)
Advisory Board, ZOO POWER PROGRAM AT ROGER
WILLIAMS PARK ZOO, January 1992 -1996.
Advisory Board, EDUCATIONAL TALENT SEARCH,
January 1992 - 1995.
Advisory Distribution Committee, GRANTS FOR
PRINCIPALS PROGRAM OF THE RHODE ISLAND FOUNDATION, 1990 -1993.
Member, RHODE ISLAND SKILLS COMMISSION, 1991
- 1993. Appointed to Steering Committee, June 1992.
Trustee, COMMUNITY PREP SCHOOL, July 1988 -
June 1991. Chairperson of Education Subcommittee and member of
Executive Committee.
Member, PROVIDENCE DROPOUT PREVENTION
COLLABORATIVE. Chaired planning subcommittee on structure
(1988), and served on task force on involving inner-city parents
in schools (1989).
AWARDS
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD, Presented by PARI ,
October 21, 2004.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT AWARD, Presented by The
Wheeler School, October 29, 2004.
RHODE ISLAND MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OF THE
YEAR, Presented by Rhode Island Association of Secondary School
Principals and Met Life. October, 2000.
PRESIDENT'S AWARD, Presented by Rhode Island
Special Olympics, October, 2000.
EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, Presented by
Nonprofit Resources of Southern New England, Providence, June
22, 1999.
COMMUNITY CITIZEN AWARD, Presented by Oak
Hill-Seekonk (MA) Grange No. 212, May 13, 1999.
NATIONAL CARING AWARD, Presented by the
Caring Institute, Washington, D.C., November 19, 1998.
EUNICE C. DAY AWARD, Presented by Vocational
Resources, Inc., Providence, October 23, 1997.
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD, Presented by John
Hope Settlement House, Providence, September 21, 1995.
HONORARY DOCTOR OF PEDAGOGY, Presented by
Rhode Island College, May 1993.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
"When to promote students." Phi Delta Kappan,
December, 2005 Volume 87, Number 4
"What to do with failing students." The
Providence Journal Bulletin, 21 October 2004.
"John Dewey in a New Century." Independent
School, Summer 2002, Volume 61, Number 4.
"Private Investment in Public Education."
Principal Leadership, January 2002.
"An Accountable Balance: Principals Weigh
the Pros and Cons of Standards-Based Reform." Education
Week. November 21, 2001.
"The Everyday Work of Leadership." KAPPAN,
September 2000, Volume 82, Number 1.
"Staying true to school reform." The
Providence Journal Bulletin, 21 September 2000.
"The Need For More Alternative Schools."
Education Week, 23 February 2000.
"School improvement is possible in Rhode
Island." The Providence Journal Bulletin, 1 March 1999.
"Using Summer Programs to Explore the
Relationship Between Time and Learning." KAPPAN, May 1997,
Volume 78, Number 9.
"Public vs. Private: Time for an Honest
Discussion That Could Benefit All Schools." The National
Association of Secondary School Principals, May 1997, Volume 81,
Number 589.
"Teaching Teachers to Do More," The
Providence Journal Bulletin, 17 February 1997.
"Keeping Alternatives Alive." The American
School Board Journal, June 1994.
"Young are at-risk." The Providence Journal
Bulletin, 9 May 1991.
"Keep at-risk students in school: Toward a
curriculum for potential dropouts." Bulletin of the National
Association of Secondary School Principals, April 1988.
"Taking a cue from business - Schools can
become more responsive." Bulletin of the National Association of
Secondary School Principals, February 1988.
Note: The story of the Urban Collaborative,
founded by Robert DeBlois in 1989, has been published. Against
the Current, by Michael Brosnan is available through Heinemann
Press (Portsmouth, NH, 1997).
PRESENTATIONS AND CONFERENCES
Annenberg Institute for School Reform,
"Standards and Accountability: The Role of the Principal,"
Presented at the National Principals' Institute, Providence,
RI., July 17, 2001.
New England League of Middle Schools,
"Starting a School or Educational Program," Presented in
conjunction with Dan Corley, Providence, RI, March 31, 1999.
The Rhode Island Foundation, "Leadership and
Change," Presented in Conjunction with Roland Barth, Ted Sizer,
Deborah Meier, and Dennis Littky, Providence, RI, December 2,
1998.
Annenberg Institute for School Reform, "The
Urban Principalship," Presented for the Annenberg Fellows,
Providence, RI, August 4, 1998.
National Association of Independent Schools,
"Blurring the Lines Between Public and Private Schools."
Workshop offered at Annual Conference. New York, NY, February
27, 1998.
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
"Starting Up: The Founding of New Schools," Presented in
Conjunction with Ted Sizer, Deborah Meier, Dennis Littky, and
James Nehring, Sponsored by the Harvard Education Forum, October
6, 1997.
St. Michael's College, Vermont, "Creating
Schools that Work," Sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation as part
of the "Turning Points" Initiative, June, 1994.
References and a full list of publications
are available upon request.
