Wednesday, May 29, 2013
The Rhode Island Senate passed two bills Tuesday to improve school safety, but they also make safety plans exempt from public records. What do you think? Should these plans be made public?
School safety is on everybody's mind, especially after the tragic shooting in Newtown, CT, which was deemed the worst school shooting in recent U.S. history. Last week, the Rhode Island Senate passed two bills aimed at improving school safety. The first bill, 2013-S 0800A, introduced by Sen. Hanna M. Gallo (D- Cranston, West Warwick), directs the commissioner for elementary and secondary education to certify annually that all school safety plans and school emergency response plans have been reviewed and updated as appropriate. The second bill, 2013-S 0801A, sponsored by Gallo, requires all schools to perform a school safety assessment in conjunction with local police, fire and school safety teams within 30 days of passage of the …
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Parents are being warned after a suspicious man allegedly approached Portsmouth Middle School students at a bus stop this morning.
The Portsmouth School District is warning parents of a suspicious man after he allegedly approached Portsmouth Middle School students at a bus stop this morning. The Portsmouth School District released the following special bulletin to parents on Thursday. Portsmouth police were called to assist. This morning at the Park & Mason bus stop in Island Park several middle school students were approached by male who sought to engage them in conversation. This male was also seen at several bus stops on Park Avenue, including the one at Park and Morgan in Island Park. The students became uncomfortable with the individual’s presence. The incident was immediately reported to the bus monitor who then reported this information to the …
41.62182
-71.23516
Park Ave & Mason Ave, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/man-allegedly-approaches-kids-at-bus-stop
/locations/9411271
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
More than 800 graduates received their degrees Saturday, a day after 164 graduated from the law school.
With an array of speakers urging them to live their lives according to the values treasured by the university’s namesake himself, 1,080 graduates in the Roger Williams University Class of 2013 culminated their college careers on Saturday at the university’s annual Commencement exercises. More than 6,000 people turned out under the big tent in Bristol to watch the graduates cross the stage along the bayside campus. In addition to awarding bachelor’s and master’s degrees to the candidates, RWU President Donald J. Farish conferred honorary doctorates to author and historian John M. Barry, who detailed the influence of the university’s namesake in last year’s award-winning Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul, and LarryRachleff…
Monday, May 20, 2013
Eva-Marie Mancuso, the state’s new Board of Education chair, uses courtroom demeanor to try to convince angry teachers and nervous parents that change is necessary.
Eva-Marie Mancuso enjoys a lively debate but is clear about one thing: When it comes to educating Rhode Island’s children, the status quo is not an option. At a recent Q&A session in East Greenwich, the state’s new Board of Education chair, sparred with state Sen. James Sheehan (D-NK, Narr.) over teacher evaluations, cajoled teachers to work with the state, and tried to reassure at least one parent that using passage of a test as a graduation requirement is the right move. The forum, organized by the EG Democratic Town Committee, was held at EG’s Town Hall, the former Kent County Courthouse. The setting suited Mancuso, a personal injury lawyer. Although the new Board of Education for the first time combines all levels of public education …
Newsweek, GoLocalProv.com, and RI-CAN recently offered their rankings of Rhode Island high schools — how do you look at this information?
Over the past couple of weeks, several sources — both local and national — have issued their rankings of high schools in Rhode Island. And while it may be an accomplishment to be named the state's top high school by one group, parents and students may be left scratching their heads when they read other results. Take Portsmouth High School, for example. GoLocalProv.com named Portsmouth High School as No. 12 out of 49 in Rhode Island — and Newsweek also listed the school as one of the top 2,000 high schools in the country. In the end, the question remains for parents of current — and future — high school students: Do these rankings mean anything? What do you think? Are the rankings for your high school fair? What do you think they say …
Friday, May 17, 2013
Some, long-time employees of the Portsmouth School District are hired without a background check, the Portsmouth School Committee learned Tuesday night.
Background checks are mandatory for most employees everywhere, but, as the Portsmouth School Committee learned Tuesday, a flaw in the hiring process has not checked all employees of the Portsmouth School District. An audit recently revealed some temporary and seasonal employees and coaches, who have worked in the Portsmouth School District for years, were hired without background checks, according to Portsmouth School Superintendent Lynn Krizic. "These are longtime, repeat coaches who have been with the district for years," said Krizic. "It was the system, not the workers. I think we were proactive in doing the audit and now we're saying it's important to put the pieces in place. The process (background checks) has already started." …
41.613121
-71.249789
Portsmouth High School
120 Education Ln, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/portsmouth-hires-temporary-school-employees-without-background-checks
226689
/locations/9390253
Portsmouth High School was evacuated Wednesday for the second bomb threat in two days. What grade would you give Portsmouth school officials for how they handled the evacuation?
Portsmouth High School students received early dismissal from school Wednesday after the school was evacuated for a bomb threat. The threat, a note referencing an explosive device, was the second found in two days. Portsmouth High School officials evacuated the school immediately and called Portsmouth police. Students and faculty were not allowed back inside the building to collect belongings for more than an hour. We want to know what you think about how Portsmouth school officials handled the evacuation. We asked the question on Portsmouth Patch's Facebook page Thursday. Here's what a few had to say: Mary Ann Oesterle Smith No it was a mess! Chris Pierce Farley From the standpoint of communication I think that they did a good job. I am…
41.613121
-71.249789
Portsmouth High School
120 Education Ln, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/tell-us-did-school-officials-do-a-good-job-evacuating-phs
226689
/locations/9394001
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
A note warning of an explosive device was found in the school. No one is being allowed in the building.
Portsmouth High School was evacuated at 1:15 p.m. today after a note warning of an explosive device was found in the school, Superintendent Lynn Krizic confirmed. The school department sent a robo call to parents to inform them of an early dismissal due to the threat, the second bomb threat in as many days at the school. Students were not allowed back into the building, even to recover their belongings. No one is being allowed in the building at this time, Krizic said. All afternoon activities, including sports, have been cancelled. No decision has been made on evening activities. Update at 2:35 p.m. Portsmouth High School students and faculty are now being allowed back into the school to retrieve bags and other personal items. …
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Police searched Portsmouth High School on Monday night after a note was found in the school.
Portsmouth High School students arrived to school this morning to police officers patrolling campus after a suspicious note was found in the school Monday night. The note, according to an e-mail sent out to parents by Portsmouth High School Principal Robert Littlefield, referenced "an explosive device in the building." Rhode Island State Police and their K-9 team searched Portsmouth High School last night, but discovered no device. School resumed on Tuesday morning; however, police are on campus this morning as a safety precaution. Featured here is the e-mail, posted verbatim, which was sent out to Portsmouth High School parents this morning. I want to alert all members of the Portsmouth High School community of some events that …
41.613121
-71.249789
Portsmouth High School
120 Education Ln, Portsmouth, RI
/articles/bomb-threat-prompts-police-to-search-portsmouth-high-school
226689
/locations/9385237
Monday, May 13, 2013
The seventh annual Portsmouth Education Foundation Hidden Kitchens Tour raised money for public schools and gave donors a satisfying day out.
The Portsmouth Public Education Foundation cooked up big money for local public schools at its seventh annual Hidden Kitchens Tour on Friday. Gleaming granite counter tops and gourmet appliances in a waterfront model home off of Bristol Ferry Road were brought to life by the artisan cheeses and savory wines of two local vendors in one of the seven kitchens on the tour on Friday afternoon. "The kitchen tours have been very successful and this year even more so," said education foundation President Marilyn Brockway. "I think it's a different kind of think to do and it's something you can do with friends," added Brockway. "We like to do it around Mother's Day so men and women can come with their mothers but this year we've also had a lot of …
Jill Giggey
12:18 pm on Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Any update on this story? I am just now hearing about this - no word from the school or anyone. more ›