NSCC CHAMPIONS AWARD HONOREE

In recognition of COMMUNITY IMPACT

Debra Ruggiero Interim Superintendent, Lynn Public Schools

DRAWING FROM NEARLY FOUR decades of experience as an educator and administrator with the Lynn Public Schools (LPS), Debra Ruggiero led the state’s fifth largest school district in its successful implementation of MA’s first Early College high school in partnership with NSCC. Ms. Ruggiero leveraged her multifaceted expertise to design and integrate a brand new holistic high school experience within a college setting, from academic curriculum, classroom design, IT infrastructure and student resources, to the hiring of educators and administrators. In its inaugural academic year, 75 freshmen from across LPS enrolled in the Frederick Douglass Collegiate Academy (FDCA), with the majority of students racially and ethnically diverse and historically marginalized from higher education. The early results are tremendous, with 85% of FDCA students earning six college credits. Thanks to her leadership, FDCA is on track to grow to 400 students by the 2025-2026 academic year. Ms. Ruggiero currently serves as Interim Superintendent for LPS, with a focus on school improvement, engaging families in educating students, and educating the next generation of leaders.

CHAMPIONS AWARD PRESENTED BY