Jack Santangelo
I am Jack Santangelo, a 7th-grade Math Teacher at Western Hills Middle School with 34+ years of experience and proven knowledge of union procedures, committee work, and membership engagement.
I have been a member in good standing since 2002 when first hired by the Cranston School Department to be a charter member of Catherine Ciarlo’s new charter school, The New England Laborers’/Cranston Public Schools Construction Career Academy, as it was then called, after teaching for 13 years in Florida and 1 year in Newport. As the only seasoned educator on the certified staff at the charter school, my colleagues voted for me to be that facility’s union delegate. I was thrilled to represent our school as I come from a family that believes in the strength of a union.
Back in the early to mid 2000’s, Cranston’s charter school was the only unionized charter in the country. Our national union, The American Federation of Teachers, was looking to organize other charters around the country and reached out to then RIFTHP president Marcia Reback, who in turn reached out to then CTA president Frank Flynn asking that I be their guest at the 2007 AFT QuEST Conference in Washington, D.C. to participate in a panel discussion on charter unionization and that started my journey in direct union participation. In 2008, Frank Flynn approached me about joining the negotiations team that would be negotiating our new contract and in 2009 asked me to join his Executive Board. I accepted both with pride. Three years later, I ran unopposed for Vice President.
During my time in a leadership role with the Cranston Teachers’ Alliance, I fought with our leadership team against the expansion of charter schools, acted as “the numbers guy” in negotiations, served as CTA’s Local Site Coordinator and Elections Chairperson, maintained membership numbers before and after the Supreme Court’s decision on the Janus vs. AFSCME ruling. I am very proud of the fact that I was able to maintain our strong membership following the ruling with only 2 members choosing not to participate. I also, participated in state federation meetings in the absence of the president, testified before the Senate Education Committee at the statehouse, led our local delegation at AFT National conventions, spoken on the floor of the convention in support of referendums, assisted in creating elementary, middle, and high school schedules, participated in candidate interviews, and organized the move of our CTA office.
I have been, and remain to this day and into the future, a passionate advocate of education and educational issues, the advancement of our profession, a proponent for ALL our members (Teachers, Paraprofessionals, Bus Aides), and creating and maintaining a communal membership that is strong, cohesive, and fully inclusive. Together we will advocate for the rights of our members.
As an experienced 8th-grade English teacher with over 20 years of teaching under my belt, I have dedicated my career to advocating for the rights of my fellow teachers. Since becoming a member of the Cranston School Department in 1999, I have been an active member of our union, serving as a delegate and later as a member of the executive board. In my various leadership roles, I have been a passionate advocate for secondary education issues, a champion for the CTA scholarships, and a dedicated member of several committees focused on improving working conditions for teachers. Through my work with the union, I have gained valuable experience in union procedures, committee work, and membership development. I remain committed to ensuring that the voices of teachers are heard and their rights are protected. Please refer to my union resume for more specific union experiences.
Rhonda Marro
Mathew Claeson
I am a proud member of the Cranston community and have been serving it for the past 23 years in various roles. In 2000, I was hired as an educator at Cranston High School West. In addition, I dedicated a great deal of my time to coaching high school wrestling for the Falcons for 14 thrilling seasons, providing my athletes with crucial skills to attain tremendous success in Division I wrestling. I have also served as a class council advisor for the past 10 years, organizing proms, raising charity funds and building strong relationships with my students. I have used creative problem solving and communication skills as co-chair of the Academic Environment Committee since 2017, giving West teachers a voice in improving our school policies and environment. Finally, I am a dedicated union delegate for Cranston West. In this role, I assist building teachers with various questions and concerns and actively advocate for them. From sharing and helping with coworker concerns, I have decided not to stay idle, as my friends and colleagues deserve more.
I am a lifelong resident of Cranston attending Glen Hills Elementary, Western Hills Middle School, and then Cranston High School West. Completing student teaching at Glen Hills Elementary School was a wonderful experience. Equally important, I am a self-contained special educator for grades 1-4. I have taught in this position for 28 years in 6 elementary schools throughout the district. In addition to teaching, I have been a Special Olympics coach, and an Extended School Year teacher. Cranston is a beautiful city which encompasses amazing history, extraordinary culture, wonderful schools and many splendid attractions. I could never imagine living or working anywhere else.
