hard deadlines

Kim Cunningham, the Portsmouth High School math teacher who last week lost an appeal at the School Committee, said in an e-mail that she now has received certification from the RI Dept of Education (RIDE) and is hoping for the district to rescind her termination.

In an interview conducted by e-mail, Ms. Cunningham said she understood why the district had to follow their procedure. "I understand why they did the initial letter — to cover themselves in case I did not complete the courses," she said. "I have the certificate now, before the year has ended. So there should not be an issue. They should rescind the letter now that they are assured that I have my necessary certification."

School Committee Chair Dick Carpender, reached for comment, said, "To the best of my knowledge we have had no formal request to rescind. However, we are sensitive to the current situation and are taking this a step at a time."

Sources familiar with the process indicated that the high school math position Ms. Cunningham occupied had been withdrawn from Thursday's job fair, though that is unconfirmed.

Ms. Cunningham reiterated her thanks to the district's administration for the help they had provided in trying to get her certification sorted out during her time teaching here.

"When I applied to Portsmouth High School, I was under appeal for four undergraduate courses in which the material was more than covered in my doctoral studies. Dr. Lusi and Ms. Jermain had my academic transcripts and knew that I was waiting to hear from RIDE. When I finally got word that my appeal was denied, Dr. Lusi and Colleen [Jermain] were terrific about contacting RIDE because based on my academic record, it didn't make any sense," said Cunningham.

At issue were four courses mandated for RIDE certification: Secondary Methods, Reading in the Content Area, Adolescent Psychology, and Teaching of Special Needs. And while, according to Ms. Cunningham, there had been initial indications that certification would be granted, it was not until last summer that she, and the district, were notified it would not. Not until that point did the requirement kick in requiring her to complete all four courses during this school year.

Some confusion in these circumstances is probably to be expected, according to Cunningham.

"Non-traditional routes to certification are not always clear," she said. "It is common that during the 'transcript evaluation' stage of the certification process that applicants 'challenge' courses that RIDE claims do not satisfy their course requirements." But, she stressed, those issues are moot at this point. "I have the certificate now, before the year has ended," she said. "So there should not be an issue."

Ms. Cunningham said this has been a difficult process, but she has been grateful for the the support she has received from the community. "I have taught at Portsmouth for three years and have grown to love the town," she said. "I will appeal to RIDE if this does not get settled at the local level."

"Teaching math is what I am," said Cunningham.