Cheryl M. (Iacchei) Johnson Scholarship Fund

This is Cheryl’s second fund with the Foundation. She and her brother Joseph had initiated the Iacchei and Cotoia Memorial Scholarship Fund for graduates of North Providence High School honoring their parents, aunt, and uncle. So, it was natural that she would turn to the Foundation when she started thinking about ways to give back during her lifetime. Her new fund supports scholarships for students pursuing degrees in special education and related services at Rhode Island College.

“I graduated from RIC in 1968 and received an excellent education. I always wanted to pursue a career in special education and Rhode Island College was one of the best places to do that,” she says.

Cheryl started teaching in Coventry, educating children with behavior disorders. She was awarded a fellowship at RIC and pursued her master’s degree. After teaching another year in Woonsocket, she accepted positions with the Department of Defense.

Cheryl taught for two years in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and three years in Kaiserslautern, Germany, providing special education to children of military families. Returning to Rhode Island, she held the position of educational diagnostician at the O’Rourke Children’s Center on the RIC campus.

For most of her career, Cheryl worked for the Cranston School Department, initially as a resource teacher for students with learning disabilities at Park View Junior High School. Post-graduate studies led to her appointment as Director of Special Education, the position she held until her retirement in December 2002.

“Throughout my career I had many rewarding experiences. I was inspired hearing about former students, learning about their accomplishments thanks to the support of special educators and knowing that they weren’t defined by their disabilities,” she remembers.

Retirement was not the end of her career. Cheryl held administrative positions at West Bay Collaborative, the Met School, and the Wolf School. Officially retiring in 2017 after 49 years, she now plans to continue her passion for ballroom dance, travel, and volunteer work.

“You will always have children who require specialized instruction. My hope is that this fund encourages students to pursue a career in special education and to make a difference in the lives of children with disabilities,” she explains.