#pcoa

BY CAROLYN THORNTON

Rhode Island Interscholastic League

     WARWICK, RI (December 1, 2025) - The final item of business at the Principals’ Committee on Athletics’ November meeting was a bittersweet one as its members recognized outgoing chairperson Dan Warner for his more than 20 years of dedication and service both to the Rhode Island Interscholastic League’s governing body and to the tens of thousands of high school and middle school students across the state who play interscholastic athletics.

     “It was 2004 when Dan rolled onto this committee,” said RIIL Executive Director Mike Lunney, as he presented Warner with a commemorative plaque at the November 17th meeting in the RIIL office. “That was quite a few years ago. I was an athletic director at the time and just getting involved at the state level, and I know that the amount of institutional knowledge that Dan has is immense. So we’re definitely going to miss that, and his leadership of this organization during a really difficult time, as well. These past few years have been really challenging, and you’ve had a steady hand in leading us through all of that.”

RIIL Executive Director Mike Lunney presents outgoing PCOA Chair Dan Warner with a plaque recognizing his service to the organization. (PHOTO: CAROLYN THORNTON/RIIL)

      A Newport native and Rogers High School graduate, Warner began his career out in Colorado, but returned to Rhode Island in 1999 and spent the next 24 years working for the Narragansett School Department, the first several years as assistant principal and another 20 years as principal of Narragansett High School. Upon retiring from Narragansett in 2023, Warner then served as principal of Block Island School for two years.

     Over the course of his career, Warner was recognized as the 2007 School Administrator of the Year by the Rhode Island Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and the 2009 Principal of the Year by the Rhode Island Association of School Principals.

     After serving for 15 years as a member of the RIIL’s Principals’ Committee on Athletics, Warner was appointed Assistant Chair in 2019. He was then named PCOA Chair in 2022.

     “I’ve seen a lot and I’ve seen a lot of camaraderie and I can’t express enough the awesome responsibility that you folks have as members of the PCOA,” Warner said at his final meeting leading the group.

     “This appointment and your service on this committee should never be taken lightly,” he continued, sharing some of the sentiments he had expressed in a letter to the members. “The responsibility you have to the thousands of student-athletes we serve can sometimes feel overwhelming. It is your duty, and really your honor to deal with those situations with thoughtfulness, courage and reverence. Do not ever take your role, or the decisions you make lightly, because their impact can be far reaching. I know in my heart that in working with you on this committee, the student-athletes of Rhode Island are in good hands. Again, thank you for allowing me to chair such a wonderful and talented group of principals, I will miss you and the work we share. Your work is indeed without measure.”

February 7, 2024

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League is pleased to announce that, starting this fall, the RIIL will be offering school-based sports opportunities to middle schools that voluntarily wish to become RIIL member schools. This marks the first time in RIIL history that the league will offer middle school sports. 

  “I am thrilled to announce a significant development in our organization that will undoubtedly enhance the overall educational experience for middle school students in Rhode Island,” said RIIL Executive Director Michael P. Lunney. “This decision stems from discussions over the past few years between the current provider of Middle School sports (RIPCOA) and the RIIL. RIPCOA has made the decision to stop their offerings at the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year. I want to personally thank and commend everyone involved with RIPCOA, especially Executive Director Patti Aull, for her leadership and commitment to providing outstanding middle school sports in Rhode Island for so many years.” 

Educational school-based athletics provide student-athletes with the opportunity to engage in healthy competition, develop valuable life skills and build camaraderie with their peers. Middle School sports serve as an avenue for physical activity, a platform for personal growth and the reinforcement of essential values such as teamwork, sportsmanship and perseverance.   

“We believe that by extending our sports programs to the middle school level, we can contribute to the holistic development of students, both academically and athletically,” Lunney said. “The inclusion of middle school sports also aligns with our mission to create a supportive and inclusive environment that encourages participation, diversity and the pursuit of excellence.” 

The Rhode Island Interscholastic League is a voluntary organization of principals who pledge their schools and participants to follow the Rules and Regulations of the League. The RIIL is governed by the Principals’ Committee on Athletics. 

    At its January meeting, the PCOA unanimously approved the appointment of Patricia Aull to the PCOA Board. The PCOA also unanimously approved the appointment of Ted Quigley as Middle School Sport Director. 

As part of its extensive planning and preparation for the 2024-25 school year, the RIIL has invited all Rhode Island middle school administrators to participate in an online survey. This input will be instrumental in shaping the Middle School sports program to meet the unique needs of the middle school community. 

  In addition, the RIIL will host an Open House informational meeting at the RIIL Office on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at 4 p.m. This meeting will provide an opportunity for middle school administrators to learn more about the RIIL Middle School sports initiative, ask questions, and engage in meaningful discussions with our team. 

    At its January meeting, the Principals’ Committee on Athletics, which serves as the governing body of the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, unanimously approved the appointment of Patricia Aull to the PCOA Board. The PCOA also unanimously approved the appointment of Ted Quigley as Middle School Sport Director. 

      WARWICK, R.I. (August 25, 2022) – The Principals’ Committee on Athletics unanimously approved the nomination of Narragansett High School principal Daniel F. Warner to the position of PCOA Chairperson, at its August meeting held at the Rhode Island Interscholastic League Office. With Mr. Warner’s ascension to Chair creating a vacancy for the PCOA’s Assistant Chairperson, the PCOA also unanimously approved the nomination of Toll Gate High School principal Candace Caluori to that position.

     The Principals’ Committee on Athletics serves as the governing body for the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, a private, non-profit voluntary organization of principals, whose mission is to provide educational opportunities for students through interscholastic athletics. The RIIL membership consists of 73 public, private, and parochial high schools, as well as alternate education/charter schools. The League sponsors athletic activities in 30 sports with more than 36,000 young men and women competing each year. 

      A member of the Principals’ Committee on Athletics since 2004 and the PCOA’s Assistant Chairperson for the last three years, Mr. Warner was honored as 2007 School Administrator of the Year by the Rhode Island Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association and 2009 R.I. Principal of the Year by the Rhode Island Association of School Principals. In addition to serving on the PCOA, he has chaired the RIIL’s Sportsmanship Committee and served as a co-director of football.

     The principal at Toll Gate High School for the last six years and its assistant principal for six years prior to that, Mrs. Caluori served on the PCOA from 2001 to 2005 and re-joined the board last year. Formerly a physical education teacher and successful boys and girls volleyball coach for more than a decade, she previously served as the RIIL’s sport director for girls tennis for a number of years. 

     Mr. Warner succeeds Sean Kelly, who submitted his resignation as PCOA Chairman after stepping down from his position as principal of Cranston High School East to work in Central Administration in the Cranston School Department. RIIL Executive Director Michael Lunney presented Mr. Kelly with a plaque recognizing and thanking him for his 10 years of dedicated service to the Principals’ Committee on Athletics, including the last three years he has served as the chairperson.

Representatives of Sydney’s business events industry have joined with the Committee for Sydney and Business Sydney as the Sydney Business Events Coalition to call on the NSW Government to pave a pathway for the return of business events now.

Sydney’s business events industry is calling for a NSW Government plan to safely restart its operations for fully vaccinated people and warns inaction threatens the survival of jobs across the city and regions. Representatives of Sydney’s business events industry have joined with the Committee for Sydney and Business Sydney as the Sydney Business Events Coalition to call on the NSW Government to…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WARWICK, RI (October 11, 2019) - A special meeting of the Principals’ Committee on Athletics (PCOA) was held today regarding the varsity girls volleyball match between Central Falls and Burrillville High Schools that took place on September 24, 2019 at Burrillville High School. The PCOA, the Central Falls School Administration and the Burrillville School Administration reviewed and discussed the events and results of their investigations and have agreed to the following:

Findings:

The PCOA and administrators from both school districts agreed that the Burrillville student spectators were exhibiting behavior (singing, yelling and demonstrating loud, boisterous behavior during play) that was intimidating and distracting to the opposing team and created an unsportsmanlike and culturally insensitive environment.

It was acknowledged that the Central Falls student-athletes heard culturally insensitive comments during the course of the contest. These comments were intimidating and disrespectful to the players and coach. The Central Falls athletes and coach did not feel welcomed and respected throughout the game and in the parking lot after the contest.

The environment in the gym was not welcoming, respectful or sportsmanlike

Burrillville administration thoroughly investigated the matter and concluded that the actions of the students attending the game were unsportsmanlike, culturally insensitive and did not support the core values of Burrillville High School.

Decision:

On a motion made and seconded, the PCOA unanimously approved the following sanctions:

Burrillville High School has been placed on probation for a period of one year for sportsmanship.

All Burrillville High School students are prohibited from attending the next regularly-scheduled home girls volleyball match (JV/Varsity) on October 16, 2019.

The PCOA accepted the following corrective action plan submitted by the Burrillville High School Administration:

Burrillville will continue to review any new information as it becomes available and should any student have made specific culturally insensitive comments, they will be disciplined in accordance with district policies.

All future game themes must be approved by the Burrillville High School Administration.

Administrators and additional game supervisors will be present at all remaining home games.

Visiting teams will be escorted in the parking lot by an administrator/game supervisor.

Burrillville High School will coordinate with the Burrillville Police Department to patrol the parking lot after games.

Burrillville High School will partner with the Nonviolence Institute and the Rhode Island Commission on Prejudice and Bias to run assemblies and workshops on cultural competence.

The Burrillville High School Diversity Council will be included in discussions around a number of activities to address cultural competence.

 The Rhode Island Interscholastic League (RIIL) will monitor the corrective actions provided by the Burrillville Administration to avoid further issues.

The RIIL will continue to support its member schools in establishing and enforcing high standards of appropriate behavior at all athletic events. As educators, it is our job to encourage ways to promote and exhibit good sportsmanship, to identify inappropriate behavior and to take steps to correct any unsportsmanlike behavior when necessary. In addition, we expect all member schools to educate and embrace the cultural diversity of students throughout the state.

a nadie le importa la variabilidad explicada

πόσω μάλλον εμένα απόψε

solo pasa que

δίνω πάσα και

no se me devuelve

solo pasa que

For a third year running the PCO Association is supporting the efforts of students studying events to develop their practical skills at the annual PCOA Conference. This year capable students from Holmesglen Institute have embraced the opportunity to work for three days at the 11th Annual PCOA