PORTSMOUTH — Melville Elementary School has again set itself apart in Rhode Island education, earning the newly created State of Rhode Island Blue Ribbon Schools Award as an exemplary high-performing school.

The recognition, announced Wednesday by Gov. Dan McKee, Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green, and the R.I. Department of Education (RIDE), places Melville among only three schools statewide to receive the honor in 2025. Pocasset Elementary in Tiverton and Robert L. Bailey IV Elementary in Providence were also selected.

For Portsmouth, the award builds on a milestone already reached earlier this year, when Melville became the first Portsmouth public school to receive a five-star rating from RIDE’s accountability system. That rating, the state’s highest, recognized the school for strong student achievement across all subjects, equitable outcomes, and steady progress in academic growth.

“This Blue Ribbon honor reflects our students’ academic excellence, the dedication of our teachers, and the strength of a community united in a commitment to doing what is best for our students,” Melville Principal Danielle Laurie said.

A state honor after federal changes

Traditionally, the U.S. Department of Education awarded Blue Ribbon status through a program created in 1982 under President Ronald Reagan. But in August, federal officials unexpectedly ended the national program just before announcing this year’s awardees.

Rhode Island responded by creating its own state-level Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Program, ensuring schools nominated for federal recognition would still be honored.

“Each of these schools represents the best of Rhode Island,” Gov. McKee said in a statement. “The strides these school communities have made are not by luck but rather by hard work and dedication.”

Commissioner Infante-Green added that while the state was “deeply disappointed” by the federal cancellation, Rhode Island is committed to celebrating outstanding schools.

Why Melville stood out

Using the same federal criteria, Melville was named an Exemplary High Performing School, a category reserved for schools scoring among the highest in state assessments or nationally normed tests.

The other honorees, Pocasset and Bailey, were designated as Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools for their success in narrowing performance disparities between different student groups.

Portsmouth Superintendent Elizabeth Viveiros said Melville’s recognition is a point of pride for the entire district.

“The resilience of our students, the dedication of our leadership and staff, and the support of our families and community have made our district's goal of ‘charting our course to excellence’ a reality,” Viveiros said. “Amazing job, Melville!”

Fourth-grade student David Folliard, 10, who’s been attending the school since kindergarten, said Melville is a great place to learn.

“One reason Melville’s a great place is that you see your friends every single day,” he said. “This helps improve your learning because you’ll forward to going to recess, but you have to do your work before you go. Also, seeing your friends every day is good because you can do partner work together and you’ll improve your learning a lot.”

In addition, “the teachers are the best” because they’re “super funny” and smart, David said. “All of the teachers teach me stuff I never knew about.”

He also spoke highly of the school’s “Fun Run,” calling it one of the best days of the school year. The annual event, held in May through Melville Park, benefits the Melville Parent Teacher Group.

A community effort

Melville, which serves grades PreK through 4, has about 330 students and a student-teacher ratio close to 12:1. In recent years, the school has emphasized community involvement, innovative classroom practices, and outdoor learning opportunities, such as a dedicated environmental classroom space.

Laurie credited the recognition not only to students and teachers, but also to parents and the larger Portsmouth community for their support.

State leaders also highlighted the broader significance of the new program. “Blue Ribbon Schools represent the best of our state education system on the national stage, and we want to ensure they are applauded for their tireless work,” said Rhode Island Education Chair Michael Grey.

Building momentum in Portsmouth

The Blue Ribbon award caps a period of rising achievement for Portsmouth schools. In January 2024, all town schools earned four-star ratings from the state. Melville pushed beyond that mark this year, becoming the district’s first five-star school before adding the Blue Ribbon honor this fall.

With both distinctions, Melville stands as a leader not only in Portsmouth, but also across Rhode Island. The school community, leaders say, is determined to keep pushing forward.

“As we continue to promote greater academic achievement, it’s important we take time to honor the school communities that serve as inspiring examples of what is possible,” said Patti DiCenso, chair of the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education.