Portsmouth superintendent Thomas Kenworthy to leave; deputy Elizabeth Viveiros appointed successor
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Summary
The Portsmouth School Committee accepted Superintendent Thomas Kenworthy’s resignation, effective Aug. 11, and unanimously appointed Deputy Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Viveiros as superintendent effective Aug. 12, approving her contract at the July 17 meeting.
The Portsmouth School Committee on July 17 accepted the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Thomas Kenworthy and unanimously appointed Deputy Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Viveiros as the district’s next superintendent. Kenworthy’s final day will be Aug. 11; Viveiros is to begin Aug. 12. The committee also approved Viveiros’s contract in a separate vote, both actions passing 7-0.
The change follows Kenworthy’s announcement that he has accepted a superintendent position in East Greenwich, where he lives and whose schools his children attend. “I have accepted the opportunity to be the next superintendent in the East Greenwich School District... my last day effective on August 11, and then I would begin, in East Greenwich on August 12,” Kenworthy said during the meeting.
Committee members framed the transition as orderly and praised Kenworthy’s decade of service and district accomplishments under his leadership. Speakers noted the district navigated the COVID period, returned to in-person learning, passed a $21,000,000 bond for school health and safety projects, and completed major projects on time and under budget. Committee remarks credited Kenworthy with building a “high performing, well functioning leadership team.”
The committee described Viveiros’s record in the district as a key reason for the appointment. Committee members recounted her tenure at Melville Elementary and later roles in district leadership, saying she helped expand career and technical education and supported grant applications that brought “between $5 million and $6 million” to the district for programs and facilities. At the meeting, Viveiros said she was honored and pledged continuity. “I am fully committed to continuing our journey towards excellence, and I'm honored to serve as your next superintendent,” she said.
The committee conducted the votes in public session. The motion to accept Kenworthy’s resignation and waive the 90-day notice passed unanimously, as did the motion to appoint Viveiros and the subsequent approval of her contract. Kenworthy’s last working day in Portsmouth is scheduled for Aug. 11; Viveiros’s start date is Aug. 12.
The committee said an August meeting is scheduled for Aug. 26; members and staff offered brief transitional remarks and presented Kenworthy with a certificate of appreciation during the July 17 session.
