Gencarelli to Leave Chariho Middle School for Westerly
By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA
April 28th 2025
WOOD RIVER JCT. – After serving one school year as Principal of the Chariho Middle School, Giuseppe Gencarelli announced on April 25 that he was leaving the district and would be the new Principal in Westerly, at Dunn’s Corners Elementary School.
Prior to being named Principal at the Chariho Middle School, Gencarelli, known in the district as “Joe,” was the Principal of Hope Valley Elementary School for 14 years. Hope Valley School is now slated for closure at the end of the current school year.
In his letter of resignation, Gencarelli provided two reasons for his departure: the challenges involved in leading the middle school and the decision by the Chariho School Committee not to extend the contract of Superintendent of Schools Gina Picard.
“Additionally, I have growing concerns about recent school committee decisions that will impact where the district is heading,” he wrote. “I believe it’s important to be honest when something no longer aligns with one’s professional values and vision. Please know that this decision does not come from a place of frustration, but rather from a deep desire to be in a space where I can lead with joy, confidence, and purpose, and where I feel I can make the greatest impact.”
Asked to comment of Gencarelli’s departure, School Committee Chair Louise Dinsmore provided a written statement that wished Gencarelli well, but did not mention the issue of Picard’s contract.
"I wish Mr. Gencarelli nothing but the best in the future,” she wrote. “His departure is a huge loss for the Chariho District and his commitment to students, staff and families is unparalleled. He's been a source of support for so many people in our District and his strong relationships within the entire community extend far and wide. He is highly regarded and treats people with kindness and respect. The letter that he shared announcing his resignation stated '....my heart remains rooted in the elementary level....' and he stated that he wanted to be in a place where 'I can lead with joy' and 'make the greatest impact.' Late last week, I read an announcement from the Westerly School Department stating that Mr. Gencarelli, a resident of Westerly, will be serving as the new Principal of Dunn's Corner [sic] Elementary. Mr. Gencarelli found a place where he will find continued joy and fulfillment, in elementary education and in his hometown. Thank you so much for your service, Mr. Gencarelli! You will be greatly missed."
Reached Monday, Picard said Gencarelli would have been a great middle school principal if he had remained at Chariho.
“Mr. Gencarelli was doing a great job,” she said. “He definitely would have been an amazing middle school principal. It just takes some time, because you’re not only learning about a different role, but it’s a much larger role where you have 800 students versus 190, which is definitely a different skill set, and I think he would have come into his own.”
Picard added that Gencarelli had told her that he had applied for the position in Westerly after learning that Picard’s contract would not be extended.
“He told me that he put in his application after the School Committee decided not to extend my contract,” she said.
Former School Committee Chair Catherine Giusti said,
“It took a lot of courage for Joe to put his concerns about the School Committee in his resignation letter. I hope it’s ringing alarm bells for the community that good leaders leave when they don’t trust the School Committee, and I don’t think Joe is the first resignation we’re going to see.”
In Westerly, Gencarelli will replace Paula Fusco, who had taken the Dunn’s Corners principal position on a temporary basis, as the school district searched for a new principal to replace Steven Morrone, who was named Assistant Superintendent of the district.
Westerly Superintendent of Schools Mark Garceau announced Gencarelli’s appointment in a letter to families on April 25.
“Today, we are thrilled to announce the hiring of Westerly native and veteran elementary school principal Giuseppe Gencarelli,” he wrote. “Mr. Gencarelli has been a very successful principal in the Chariho district for many years and we have every confidence that he will be a great addition to the DCS community and to the WPS administrative team. Mr. Gencarelli will be finishing out the school year in Chariho and joining us full time this summer.”
Picard said the district would immediately begin the search for Gencarelli’s replacement. In the meantime, she said she would do what she could to maintain a sense of continuity for the Chariho community, but she also acknowledged that it wouldn’t be easy.
“You don’t go into a role like mine without understanding the risks that it has during elections,” she said. “We all know elections have consequences and I’m really proud of the work happening in Chariho. I stand behind every decision I stand behind every one of our administrators and teachers and students and families, and it’s just hard to provide a sense of calm when even they know my time is limited, so as the leader of the district, that makes it complicated.”
Giusti said Gencarelli’s departure was a warning that should be taken seriously.
“Joe’s departure is a significant loss for Chariho,” she said. “More importantly, it should serve as a wake-up call for our community. When school committees fail to show respect and support for their educational leaders, those leaders eventually move on. The recent meeting in which Superintendent Picard's contract was not extended sent a troubling message to everyone in Chariho: conform completely, or leave.”