EDUCATION
Jungle technology The first stop on his travels came in 2012 as the technology coordinator for rural schools in Belize, a tiny coastal country and the only English-speaking one in Central America. He delivered and installed laptop computers to remote locations in the San Ignacio district. Just how “rural” and “remote” were these schools? “One day I was carrying three or four laptops when I walked up to this rope bridge over a river,” he recalled. “It had boards and slots that were swinging and didn’t seem to be secured very well. I was looking at the raging river below [pondering his potential fate] when a little girl came up, pushed me aside, took the hand of her little sister and ran across the bridge. That’s how they got to school every day.” The school consisted of two buildings, with only one of those, the cafeteria, having power. To get the computers to work, Cimolini had to adapt a satellite and connect to that satellite through the battery in the school principal’s personal Jeep. The extra effort brought internet access to students who had never been online. He also assisted teachers and administrators with integrating information, communication and technology into student learning. All the resources Next up was a long journey — geographically and financially — from Belize to Abu Dhabi, UAE, to help an aspiring school developer there. This person was a contractor intending to adapt an existing building. He needed an education expert to develop an American curriculum. “As soon as we got over there, we hit the ground running. I consulted on the construction work,” he noted, “and I hired the teachers. Money was no object. They wanted to develop a top-quality school. That was a real value-add — the ability as an educator to choose the resources and the best building practices without financial limitations.” The North American International School served some expats, but most were native to the country. Cimolini would return to Canada to attend conferences and recruit teachers. It wasn’t too difficult with paid airfare, accommodations and healthcare among the benefits for those willing to relocate. He added enhanced teacher training also benefitted the educators. “Culturally, it was an eye opener with so much wealth there,” he attested. “It was just in the 1960s that oil was discovered. Now, it is one of the most modern, high-tech countries in the world. Seeing that, and being part of that, was fascinating.
Educating the world Canadian built schools around the globe
BY TOM SCHUMAN
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his career as a schoolteacher, curriculum coordinator, assistant principal and principal for 30 years in Edmonton. Those experiences, plus one more, helped set the stage for unforgettable global adventures serving many students and communities. Cimolini, 70, grew up in the Fernie region of British Columbia, about an hour north of
the Montana border towns of Whitefish and Kalispell. Among the favorite activities were fly-fishing, skiing and camping. After college, he entered the familiar world of school loans, work, children and mortgages. “When I was able to retire [at age 55], when the house was paid for and my sons were stable and independent, that opened up a whole new life of opportunities,” he said. “That’s the biggest gift for any of us — to do things that have been on your bucket list, in your dreams.” Every rung of the career ladder led him to his ultimate destinations. Starting in the industrial arts field, he introduced computers to the classroom and became a technology and mathematics teacher. Subsequent roles included delivering a STEM curriculum before it became nearly universal, establishing business partnerships to assist students with their career paths and serving as a consultant for the design of a new school. Cimolini was hired as the principal of a unique high school in the Edmonton Public School District. The Centre High Campus assisted students who struggled in high school with completing their education and helped them gain access to postsecondary opportunities. What began with a few students ended up serving nearly 4,000 by the end of his tenure. “That got me thinking about developing schools,” Cimolini contended. That “one more” experience was the rare opportunity to participate in a principal exchange. While teacher exchanges were somewhat common, Cimolini was the first principal in Alberta to follow suit, packing up and moving to Sydney, Australia. He traded houses and vehicles with his counterpart down under. Professionally, it was challenging to adapt courses to fit into the Australian curriculum and differences in pedagogy. Personally, he was able to travel throughout the diverse country as well as New Zealand. “I was so enthralled with international schools,” he admitted, “that when I returned, I put my name out there for potential opportunities.”
ROVINCE RAY Cimolini calls Maricopa home six months each year. After “retiring” from an impressive RESIDENT
career in Alberta, he also made homes in Belize, China and the United Arab Emirates. The common bond between his work and global adventures is education. He spent
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Ray Cimonili poses for a portrait inside his Province home.
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InMaricopa.com | May 2024
May 2024 | InMaricopa.com
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