Featured Alumni

SHARON CONTRERAS

The Broad Superintendents Academy Class of 2010
Chief Academic Officer
Providence Public Schools, R.I.

“The educational arena has and continues to be the medium by which an organized society advances itself for the good of humanity. Accordingly, I believe that a quality education for all is essential for human achievement and necessary to maintain a democratic society. I am convinced that a quality education nurtures the human spirit and is profoundly empowering. Therefore, opportunities to learn, including appropriate support for healthy social, emotional and physical development, must be extended to all children for whom we have the awesome responsibility to educate.”

Sharon Contreras currently serves as chief academic officer for the Providence Public Schools. In this role, she has successfully implemented a number of reform initiatives, including the adoption of an aligned instruction system that encompasses a standards-based curriculum, aligned assessment system and a focused and cohesive professional development program for teachers and administrators, and the development of a performance-based graduation policy. Prior to her role as chief academic officer, Sharon served as a teacher, principal, area superintendent and assistant superintendent in Rockford, Illinois. She also served as Chief Academic Officer in Clayton County Public Schools, where she was credited for expanding Advanced Placement and gifted programming; introducing research-based interventions for struggling students; creating an evening credit recovery program; developing a research and evaluation department and parent information/registration center; and expanding support services for students. She holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degrees in teaching and English literature from the State University of New York at Binghamton; a master’s degree in educational administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison; and is currently completing her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Contreras is a member of the 2010 class of The Broad Superintendents Academy.