Dear Verona Community,
On behalf of the Verona Board of Education, I am pleased to announce that our Superintendent, Mr. Dionisio, has successfully completed his dissertation and earned his doctoral degree in Educational Leadership, Management and Policy from Seton Hall University, on March 21, 2017.
This has been an eight-year journey for Doctor Dionisio. He was appointed Superintendent for our school district in the spring of 2014, and had completed his coursework at that time. The focus of his dissertation was an analysis of inquiry-based science teaching and its impact on student engagement and achievement.
Inquiry-based science is centered around cultivating learning environments for students to participate in active hands-on learning opportunities that engages a student’s natural sense of curiosity while encouraging the development of scientific skills such as problem solving, scientific literacy, and mathematical reasoning.
Dr. Dionisio’s dissertation measured the effectiveness of an inquiry-based science pilot program on non-cognitive outcomes and academic achievement in a middle school setting. The study examined to what extent students enjoyed learning science, through an inquiry teaching approach, and how such a program impacted student learning outcomes. This study examined the effect of inquiry-based science (IBS) classrooms on learning outcomes, specifically as it related to gender and special education.
We are very proud of the achievements and accolades earned by our staff and students, especially in such a rapidly changing world.
Please join me in congratulating Dr. Dionisio on his terrific accomplishment and in wishing him success in the years to come.
John Quattrocchi
President, Verona Board of Education
