Friday, July 01, 2011

Another Idealistic Brown Grad Leaves the PPSD Classroom After a Too Short Tenure

East Bay RI:

Michael L. Ras, 63, of Westport, died Wednesday, June 29, 2011, at St Luke’s Hospital after a three-month battle with cancer. He was the husband of Pamela J. (Sullivan) Ras for the past for 42 years.

Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Henry and Helen (Koczerga) Ras, he spent his youth in New Bedford moving to Westport in 1971. A graduate of New Bedford High School, Class of 1965, Brown University, 1969, he also earned his masters in mathematics from the University of Rhode Island.

Mr. Ras retired from the New Bedford Public School System after 35 years in 2004. He began there as a mathematics teacher at Normandin Jr. High School and continued to teach math at New Bedford High School for the mainstay of his career. He served as the assistant principal of Roosevelt Middle School for the remaining years, where, upon retirement, the Cafetorium was named in his honor. After retirement he continued to teach and was the lead math teacher first at the Feinstein High School and then William B. Cooley Health and Science Technology High School, both in Providence. He had been a member and past president of the New Bedford Educators Association and on the Board of Directors and Executive Board of the Massachusetts Teachers Association.

After a distinguished 40 year career in education, Mike was fired by the Providence School District, without cause, two weeks before his death.

Rest in peace, Mike.

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