Robert Ruggiero

Education Director

EMAIL:

Bob@groveschool.org

PHONE:

203-245-2778 ext. 320

Bob is a native of Connecticut who grew up in the Fair Haven neighborhood of New Haven as a member the first generation in his family born in America. His father came to this country at age 12 and his mother’s family immigrated to the US from Italy. During the 1920s Bob’s parents only had access to an elementary education to become literate before joining the workforce, which helped Bob gain a perspective on the impact committed teachers can make even with limited time and resources.

Bob’s first experience in teaching was as a classroom assistant helping students challenged by severe Autism (BenHaven School). That experience gave him a belief in the intrinsic value in each student’s potential to learn, whether typical or exceptional. Bob earned his BA from the University of New Haven and his MS and 6th year Professional Diploma from Southern Connecticut State University, where he has served as an adjunct professor in Special Education since 2003.

Bob was a general education middle school teacher for four years, but has spent most of his career working in special education. He holds CT education certificates in Elementary Education (1-8), Special Education (K-12), and School Administration, including a Superintendent’s certificate. Most of his professional experience has been in residential settings with children and young adults who have impairments that affect learning. He came to Grove School in 2005, first as a consultant and was charmed by the gentle campus atmosphere, the students’ potential, and the caliber of the people who come to Grove to teach. Six months later he assumed the role of school administrator to participate in a Renaissance of facility building and program development that has yet to recognize an end point.

Among his related professional activities Bob has been co-chair of the CT State Council on Vocational Education (SCOVE); chaired the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Business/Education Council; served as Accreditation Team Leader for the National Commission for the Accreditation of Special Education Services (NCASES), and as a member of several New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) review teams. Bob has also served eight years on the Madison Board of Education (two as vice-chair); two years as a member of the Board of Directors for LEARN, and two years as a member of the Board of Directors for the CT Association of Boards of Education (CABE).

Bob enjoys being an educator, working with Grove students directly taking on the responsibility of helping to develop, organize and monitor their academic success. Bob is quite confident that his next 40 years in Education will be even more fun than the past forty.

Bob and his wife live in Madison and have two grown sons.

< Back