Saturday, February 18, 2012
Joshua Despres, the teen arrested after allegedly using racial slurs during a high school fight, says he was bullied for months and school administrators did nothing to prevent it.
The Little Compton teenager who was arrested Tuesday following a fight at Portsmouth High School is speaking out and telling his side of the story. Patch sat down with 18-year-old Joshua Despres and his mother at their Little Compton home Friday. Despres says he was the victim of bullying for months and that he feels school administrators did nothing to prevent it. The high school senior talks about the fight in the video at right. Police arrested Despres on a warrant Tuesday and charged him with disorderly conduct. The arrest stemmed from a fight that occurred Monday morning at the high school. Despres apparently became involved in an argument with a fellow student. The 17-year-old student allegedly punched Despres in the face. The …
41.613121
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Portsmouth High School
120 Education Ln, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/video-teen-arrested-for-using-n-word-is-half-black
226689
/locations/6403967
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Portsmouth police say a Little Compton teen allegedly acted disorderly long after a fight at the high school.
Portsmouth police have provided more details into the Tuesday arrest of a Little Compton teen. Joshua Despres, 18, of Little Compton, was arrested Tuesday around 2 p.m. and charged with disorderly conduct. The arrest stemmed from a fight that occurred Monday morning at Portsmouth High School. Despres, a student at the school, apparently became involved in an argument with a fellow student. During the argument, Despres allegedly yelled racial slurs at the 17-year-old man. The 17-year-old then allegedly struck Despres in the face. The teen was also arrested and charged with assault. His case will be referred to Family Court. According to police, Despres allegedly continued to act disorderly long after fight. He allegedly yelled and swore …
41.613121
-71.249789
Portsmouth High School
120 Education Ln, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/police-give-more-details-on-high-school-arrest
226689
/locations/6392162
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
A total of 29 Portsmouth teachers will receive non-renewal or termination notices before March 1.
The Portsmouth School Committee approved a request Tuesday night to send non-renewal and termination notices to 29 teachers. The notices are part of an annual process. State law requires the school department to notify teachers of layoffs before March 1. "Not every teacher will be called back," said Superintendent of Schools Lynn Krizic. "The call backs will happen anytime from April through August." According to Krizic, there were several reasons for non-renewal notices and terminations, including uncertainty with federal and state funds, and declining enrollment. Among the 29, 18 full-time teachers will receive notice. Three of the 29 teachers will receive termination notices. Under state law, says Krizic, teachers are given …
41.59003
-71.25417
Portsmouth School District
29 Middle Rd, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/portsmouth-lays-off-29-teachers
226432
/locations/6387632
The transportation option is now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all students, faculty, and staff ages 18 and older, as well as members of the local community ages 21 and over.
Local residents as well as Roger Williams University students, faculty and staff will benefit from the school's recent partnership with Zipcar, Inc., that offers a Zipcar car-sharing program on campus. According to a release, the cost-effective and convenient transportation option is now available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all students, faculty, and staff ages 18 and older, as well as members of the local community ages 21 and over. Tim Lebell, a freshman student from Connecticut hung out at the Zipcar tent on Wednesday afternoon to get more information about the new program. "I think I may do it," Lebell said. "It's pretty convenient and the cars will be parked right across from my dorm." The new partnership is particularly …
41.631666
-71.243913
Roger Williams University Residence & Conference Center
144 Anthony Rd, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/roger-williams-university-partners-with-zipcar-benefits-students-and-locals
226851
/locations/6347616
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The School Committee will meet tonight at 7 p.m. at the Portsmouth High School library.
The Portsmouth School Committee will take up several resolutions tonight which deal with teacher contracts and length of employment. Superintendent of Schools Lynn Krizic is requesting approval of several resolutions dealing with teacher employment due to "uncertainty of local, Federal and/or State funding." Krizic is also seeking approval to create a new position entitled "4th/5th Grade Principal." Other items on the agenda, which can be view at right, include: The meeting will begin at 6:30 with an executive session, followed by public session at 7.
41.613121
-71.249789
Portsmouth High School
120 Education Ln, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/school-committee-to-discuss-teacher-layoffs-request-to-hire-new-principal
226689
/locations/6357406
Sunday, February 12, 2012
E-mail photos from today's Patriot Plunge to Sandy@Patch.com or upload them to the Gallery.
More than 100 Portsmouth Middle School students are expected to jump into icy waters at Sandy Point Beach today! The second annual Patriots Plunge will take place today at 2 p.m. to help raise funds for the Portsmouth Middle School Athletic Booster Club. We want to see your photos from the Patriot Plunge! Add photos of your child or team to our Gallery here or e-mail photos to Sandy@Patch.com. If you are taking the plunge, expect the water to be freezing! The National Weather Service predicts a high temperature of 30 degrees. If you are unable to join and would like to make a donation to help support athletics at PMS, visit www.pmsabc.com for details.
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-71.235717
Sandy Point Beach
Sandy Point Ave & Sigourney Rd, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/we-want-to-see-your-patriot-plunge-photos
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/locations/6347849
Friday, February 10, 2012
Would a new turf field benefit student athletes? Tells us your thoughts below.
Would a new artificial turf field benefit the students of Portsmouth High School? Athletic director Steve Trezvant thinks so. Trezvant told the Newport Daily News he would like to see a new track and turf field at the high school. The project is estimated to cost $1.6 million, according to the Newport Daily News. Several Portsmouth Patch users shared these comments about the project on our Facebook page: The NE Pats just got turf 5 years ago and they are professional. This is high school. — Angela Dyl Middletown has artifical turf and the maintenance of the field would go down. — Chris Squeo Pierce Almost every other school football field you go to.is the new.turf. I think the ones who need to answer that are the players who play on the…
41.59003
-71.25417
Portsmouth School District
29 Middle Rd, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/poll-does-portsmouth-high-school-need-a-new-turf-field
226432
/locations/6347315
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Assistant Principal Jeff Goss recalls the late Craig Raposa as a student who "made great strides."
Craig Raposa was a student who "overcame obstacles" and "had a bright future," said Portsmouth High School Assistant Principal Jeff Goss. The bright future was cut short Friday when 25-year-old Raposa of Tiverton was pronounced dead at Newport Hospital. Prior to his death, Raposa was apparently involved in a struggle with Portsmouth police, who used pepper spray. State Police are now investigating the incident. Goss, who once coached Raposa, said he was shocked when he heard the news. "He was one of those kids that made you appreciate what you do," Goss said. "He struggled, but he rose. He made great strides." Goss says Raposa had difficulty when he first began at Portsmouth High School, but overcome behavioral problems by the time he…
41.613121
-71.249789
Portsmouth High School
120 Education Ln, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/video-coach-says-former-deceased-student-struggled-overcame-obstacles
226689
/locations/6337951
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Former basketball star and now recovering drug addict Chris Herren spoke to large crowds Thursday at Tiverton High School.
Durfee High School basketball legend Chris Herren, profiled in his new book “Basketball Junkie,” shared his story Thursday at Tiverton High School of going from a rising star in professional basketball to hitting rock bottom when he was found in Fall River, addicted to heroin. Sheila Kauffmann, community service learning coordinator at the high school and member of the Tiverton Prevention Coalition, which put on the event, said Herren shared his dark and painful story of addiction, making it clear that in all the years of use he never ran into anyone who started out by first using heroin and cocaine. "He cautioned teens and parents about the use of things like alcohol and marijuana," she said. "He is brutally honest about all the places …
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Portsmouth School Committee met Tuesday night at the high school library.
The Portsmouth School Committee approved a new school dress code, a change to who can administrate Breathalyzer tests and a new gift policy at Tuesday's meeting. Highlights from the meeting can be viewed on the school district's Web site or in the pdf at right. All three policies have been significantly rewritten and can be viewed on the meeting agenda. Among the changes are many additions to the school's dress code, including a call for shorts and skirts to pass the "fingertip test" or for the hem to reach mid-thigh. The school dress code policy took center stage last year after more than 100 students were sent home from a dance. The new dress code also bans hats, coats and jackets in the classroom except for times of inclement …
41.613121
-71.249789
Portsmouth High School
120 Education Ln, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/portsmouth-school-committee-adopts-new-school-dress-code-breathalyzer-policy
226689
/locations/6250502
Robert E
4:39 pm on Wednesday, February 22, 2012
From the Boys Town web site "How the Boys Town Model Works in Schools Children who lack social skills or are caught in patterns of misbehavior will struggle at school. As a result, they may not develop the life-skills they need to succeed in their education or their lives as a whole. To save these children, their needs must be addressed not just at home, but in school where they will spend nearly… more ›