On First Day, New Education Commissioner Leads Walking School Bus

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island's new education commissioner spent her first morning on the job with local elementary school students. Angélica Infante-Green l a walking school bus for students at Kizirian Elementary on Monday morning.

"Magic in the classroom starts with students who are in school each day, ready and eager to learn. When I learned about the Walking School Bus and the work they’re doing to improve attendance and increase engagement in school communities, I was excited to see it firsthand," Infante-Green said. "I couldn’t think of a better way to start my tenure here than getting out into the community, meeting students, families, and the Rhode Islanders who care deeply about education in our state."

Walking school buses operate like real school buses in Providence, where volunteers walk from house to house, meeting up with children and guiding them to school in a group along a designated path. This allows children to arrive safely and on time. The program was launched in 2012 by Family Service of Rhode Island at Fogarty Elementary School, and has since expanded to other schools in the city.

Governor Gina Raimondo named Infante-Green as her pick for Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education in March. She is the first Latina and first person of color to hold the position. In her previous roles, Infante-Green has been a champion for English Language Learner and special education programs, serving as a dual-language program teacher and, later, the CEO of the Office of English Learners for the New York City Department of Education.

"[Infante-Green's] passion for education and her commitment to equity as an educator, leader, Latina and mother are unmatched, and I look forward to working with her to stay the course on a long-term, comprehensive education strategy that is focused on the needs of every student in Rhode Island," Gov. Raimondo said at the time of her nomination.

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