Leadership
Faculty
Joshua Laplante
Founding Superintendent
Joshua Laplante serves as the Founding Superintendent of De La Comunidad Bilingual Charter Public School (DLC-B), leading the incubation and launch of the school with a focus on equity, innovation, and high-quality educational design. In this role, he partners with educators, community leaders, and school teams to create a learning environment that reflects the strengths, cultures, and aspirations of the students and families the school serves.
Joshua serves as Chief Innovation Officer for the Rhode Island Education Collective, where he oversees the incubation and launch of new schools, and supports educators and communities in building high-quality, equitable learning environments.
Joshua’s career in education spans more than two decades in both public and private schools. He began teaching science at The Prout School in 1999 and continued his teaching journey at Central Falls High School in 2006.. In 2011, he was selected as principal of Central Falls High School, serving as an instructional leader and advocate for all students and families. His passion for environmental education led him in 2015 to become head of school for The Greene School, a statewide public charter high school in West Greenwich, Rhode Island.
Beyond his school-based roles, Joshua has served as a board member of the Rhode Island Environmental Education Association (RIEEA) for nearly seven years and founded GlobalRISE, a nonprofit providing educational resources to children and schools in rural and indigenous communities of Tanzania.
Joshua holds degrees from the University of Rhode Island, Providence College, and Brown University, specializing in secondary education, ESL, and cross-cultural studies. He is also a graduate of the Principal’s Residency Network through the Center for Leadership and Educational Equity.
José L. Valerio
Founding Principal
José L. Valerio serves as the Founding Principal of De La Comunidad Bilingual Charter Public School (DLC-B). A bilingual educator and instructional leader with more than 27 years of experience, he brings deep expertise in dual-language education and a longstanding commitment to advancing academic success for multilingual students and their families.
José previously served as principal of one of Rhode Island’s only district-operated dual-language schools, where he helped strengthen bilingual instructional practices and build an inclusive, high-achieving school community. His leadership experience across Providence and Central Falls includes transforming underperforming schools, implementing effective bilingual models, and fostering strong partnerships with families and community organizations.
As Founding Principal, José will oversee the academic vision, staff development, and family and community engagement efforts at DLC-B. He played a key role in shaping the school’s academic design, staffing model, and operational foundation, helping to build a high-quality bilingual program that will serve students from kindergarten through grade 12.
Throughout his career, José has been recognized for his commitment to educational equity, cultural affirmation, and community collaboration. He has held leadership roles at Alfred A. Lima Sr. Elementary School, Lillian Feinstein at Sackett Elementary School, and Veterans Memorial Elementary School in Central Falls, and has served on community boards including Dorcas International, supporting literacy and family education initiatives.
José believes deeply in the power of bilingual education to transform lives and communities. His vision for DLC-B is to create a school where students graduate bilingual, biliterate, culturally confident, and prepared to lead in an increasingly interconnected world.