RIDE Partners with Pure Edge, Inc. to Support Providence Teachers

Published on Thursday, February 06, 2020

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) today announced a partnership with Pure Edge, Inc. (PEI), a private foundation that provides professional development to enhance social emotional learning in schools. Pure Edge is donating their service to Providence schools, providing educator self-care and culture of care trainings to educators, staff, and students.



Professional learning covers the basic neuroscience of stress and simple strategies to improve both physical and mental well-being through breath, movement, and mindfulness. The district will also receive access to all of PEI’s web-based curricula and resources at no cost.



“It is a challenging time to be in education, and we know all too well that Providence educators, in particular, are working in a broken system. Our teachers need to be supported,” said Angélica Infante-Green, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. “Teacher burnout is a serious issue across the country, and at a time when we are working to bring immense change to Providence, it is more important than ever that our educators have the tools they need to be successful and foster a culture of learning in their schools.”



Pure Edge reached out to RIDE after reading the Johns Hopkins report and learning more about the pending state intervention. Pure Edge reached out to RIDE after reading the Johns Hopkins report and learning more about the state intervention, and the two organizations have been working together closely to deliver supports to all Providence schools.



Pure Edge has served nine schools and more than 160 educators in Providence to date, with sessions scheduled at another 15 schools over the next two weeks, and additional sessions in the works outside of Providence, including in Central Falls.



“It helps when someone understands how stressed we are,” said one middle school teacher who participated in a Pure Edge training. When asked what surprised them about the professional development, one teacher noted “the clarity and ease of the strategies” and another, “that this was provided to us for free along with online curriculum, and that the state cares about our SEL.”



“We wanted to help because we know that change can create stress,” said Gill McClean, Director of Professional Development at Pure Edge, Inc. “In our small way, we hope to support the Commissioner’s commitment to the community by creating conditions for success by focusing on the adults who will be working incredibly hard to make the necessary changes to improve the city’s schools. We really loved meeting the teachers last week and look forward to meeting the staffs of the 15 schools that have invited us the week of February 10.”



Pure Edge, Inc. provides direct service to organizations through professional development and strategy thought partnership. PEI also supports organizations that advance the work of whole child development and social and emotional learning. PEI has served more than 35,000 educators in over 85 school districts, state agencies and non-profit organizations across the United States and its territories. PEI aims to support the health and wellness of educators and support staff who serve our nation’s most important asset, children and young people.



Existing district-wide partnerships include San Diego, CA; Philadelphia, PA, Davis School District, UT; and Baltimore County Public Schools to bolster social and emotional learning in schools and improve climates for educators and learners.