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“We woke up this morning to the heartbreaking news of the tragic loss of a 17-year-old on South Watuppa Pond. While his name has not yet been publicly released, we have received permission from his family to share that he was a former student of Fall River Public Schools.

Fall River Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Smith is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Olobri as the new Principal of the John J. Doran Community School, effective July 20, 2026.

Mrs. Olobri returns to Fall River Public Schools, where she previously served as a classroom teacher for five years. She brings extensive experience in urban education, school leadership, educator development, and instructional excellence.

Fall River Public Schools is pleased to announce the appointment of Rebecca Woodcock as the new Principal of Spencer Borden Elementary School.

A respected educator and school leader with more than 27 years of experience in public education, Woodcock most recently served as Assistant Principal at North Elementary School in Somerset.

The Fall River Public Schools is pleased to announce that Aldo Petronio has been appointed the district’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Petronio brings more than 25 years of public-sector financial management experience to the district. Petronio was the School Business Officer for Acushnet Public Schools and spent nearly two decades as Chief Financial Officer for Brockton Public Schools.

Fall River Public Schools Interim Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Smith is happy to appoint Dr. Christine Godino as the district’s Executive Director of Human Resources, effective July 1, 2026.

Dr. Godino has more than two decades of educational leadership. Throughout her career, she has led initiatives focused on supporting students, strengthening school communities, and developing effective systems that help educators and school staff succeed.

Earlier today, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the American Institute for Research (AIR) released the results of their Targeted District Review of the Fall River School Committee and the Fall River Public Schools, which was conducted in May 2026 at the request of Mayor Paul Coogan. The comprehensive review focused specifically on Leadership and Governance, and it provides an important, objective look at our district’s systems, practices, strengths, and areas where we must continue to grow.