Meet Erin

My name is Erin West Earle. I am a born-and-raised North Kingstown resident who grew up in our public schools and chose to raise my own family here. When my husband and I began looking for a home as our children approached elementary school, we told our real estate agent we only wanted to look in North Kingstown.

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Now, as the proud mom of a third- and sixth-grade student, I have the opportunity to experience our schools from an entirely different perspective. Watching my children begin their own educational journeys,and seeing the dedication of the teachers, staff, nurses, administrators, and other professionals who support them, has only deepened my appreciation for our schools and the people who make them special.

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The importance of education was ingrained in me from an early age. As the daughter and daughter-in-law of educators, I developed a deep respect for the work of K–12 teachers and school professionals. My mother worked in special education in the North Kingstown School District, giving me an early understanding of how individualized support can change the trajectory of a student's education. My mother-in-law's experience as an educator in Newtown, Connecticut, also gave our family a deeply personal understanding of the importance of school safety. Those experiences continue to shape my belief that every student deserves the opportunity to succeed in a school environment where they feel safe, supported, and valued.

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For the past four years, I have had the privilege of serving as Chair of the North Kingstown School Committee. In that role, I have helped lead the Committee through significant decisions involving superintendent leadership, budgets, policy, collective bargaining, school facilities, long-term planning, student supports, and the $137 million school construction initiative. Serving as Chair has reinforced for me the importance of good governance: asking difficult questions, listening to different perspectives, providing thoughtful oversight, making responsible decisions, and working collaboratively with fellow Committee members and district leadership. I am proud of the progress made during these four years and equally mindful that the School Committee's role is one of governance, policy, oversight, and approval.  

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My professional career has been dedicated to public higher education at the University of Rhode Island, proudly, a Rhody Ram. As an educator and higher education leader, I see every day how strongly a student's K-12 experience can influence what comes next. My work has given me extensive experience navigating complex public institutions, managing budgets, developing policy, working with personnel and employee unions, and leading large-scale programs and initiatives. I have also been involved in capital planning and academic facility projects, experience that has been particularly valuable as North Kingstown undertakes significant investments in its school buildings.

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Finally, I am a lifelong resident of North Kingstown. Public education here helped provide the foundation for who I am today. I began at Quidnessett Elementary, continued through Davisville Middle School, and graduated from North Kingstown High School. Today, I have the remarkable experience of watching my own children grow up in the same community that helped raise me.

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North Kingstown isn't simply where I serve. It is the community that educated me, the community where I chose to raise my family, and the community I have been honored to serve for the past four years.

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And below are a few fun, and perhaps slightly embarrassing photos, from my own North Kingstown school years.