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PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Providence School Board has voted unanimously to appoint Christopher Maher as the Rhode Island capital's new superintendent of schools.
The Providence Journal reports (http://bit.ly/1SMGhyA ) Maher, who has been serving as the district's interim superintendent for nearly nine months, beat out four other finalists who were not disclosed by the board due to confidentiality agreements.
The 41-year-old joked that only a crazy person would want the superintendent job after hearing its responsibilities, but said he wakes up every day "with the greatest sense of purpose."
Officials were pleased with Maher's progress on chronic absenteeism and suspensions, which he called critical to closing achievement gaps between white and minority students.
Maher says Rhode Islanders need to recognize that demographic shifts are changing the face of Providence.
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Information from: The Providence Journal, http://www.providencejournal.com
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