Chariho Names New Middle School Principal

By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA

May 8th 2025

WOOD RIVER JCT. – Less than two weeks after Chariho Middle School Principal Giuseppe “Joe” Gencarelli announced his resignation, the Chariho Regional School District has appointed his replacement.

Superintendent of Schools Gina Picard announced Wednesday that Jean Bradanini, the current Assistant Principal at Chariho High School, will be the new middle school principal.

Bradanini said she would be sad to leave the high school, where she has served as assistant principal for the last four years, but she added that she was looking forward to new challenges at the middle school.

“I’ve been so lucky to work alongside such dedicated staff, incredible students and supportive families for the past four years,”  she said.

In an announcement sent to families on Wednesday, Picard said Bradanini would be a good fit for the middle school.

“With a strong background in curriculum, instructional leadership, and relationship-building, Mrs. Bradanini brings a deep commitment to student success and a clear vision for excellence,” she said. “…Mrs. Bradanini is looking forward to connecting with families, students, faculty, and staff to introduce herself and begin building strong relationships. She is ready to listen, learn, and collaborate with all members of the CMS community.”

Before coming to Chariho, Bradanini was Humanities Coordinator at Stonington High School and before that, she taught English at Wheeler High School.

In her message to Chariho families, Bradanini said,

“It is an honor to join such a dedicated team, and I look forward to collaborating with each of you as we work together with a commitment to growth and a genuine passion for each student’s success. I am committed to creating an environment where both staff and students feel supported, valued, and challenged. I will continue to work closely with high school administrators to ensure alignment between our schools and provide a seamless experience for our students as they transition from middle to high school.”

Bradanini also acknowledged the special challenges that middle school students face as they go through the transition to adolescence and high school.

“Now, I’m excited to shift my focus to the middle school years; and incredibly important age in a student’s journey,” she said. “I know that these years are full of growth, curiosity and change. My goal is to create a school environment where every student feels safe, valued and challenged to reach their full potential.”

Those transition challenges were cited by Gencarelli as one of the reasons he was leaving after one year as Principal. The second reason he gave is the failure of the School Committee to extend Gina Picard’s contract. Gencarelli, who was Principal at Hope Valley Elementary School for 14 years before moving to the middle school, will be the new principal at Dunns Corners Elementary School in Westerly.

The challenge will now be recruiting a new Assistant Principal at the high school. Picard said the search would begin immediately.