[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 78 (Thursday, May 27, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S6442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO ST. PHILOMENA SCHOOL: 1999 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BLUE 
                             RIBBON SCHOOL

 Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
achievement of St. Philomena School of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, which 
was recently honored as a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon 
School.
  It is a highly regarded distinction to be named a Blue Ribbon School. 
Through an intensive selection process beginning at the state level and 
continuing through a federal Review Panel of 100 top educators, 266 of 
the very best public and private schools in the nation were identified 
as deserving this special recognition. These schools are particularly 
effective in meeting local, state, and national goals. However, this 
honor signifies not just who is best, but what works in educating 
today's children.
  Now, more than ever, it is important that we make every effort to 
reach out to students, that we truly engage and challenge them, and 
that we make their education come alive. That is what St. Philomena 
School is doing. St. Philomena is a kindergarten through eighth grade 
school that emphasizes student achievement.
  Since opening in 1953, much has changed for St. Philomena. For a 
brief time, it offered a comprehensive education from elementary 
through high school. But since the late 1960s, St. Philomena has 
focused exclusively on elementary education, and its students have 
benefitted from this wise decision. While the school has grown in 
size--adding four new buildings to its facilities, its administration 
and faculty have taken a personalized approach to each student's 
education.
  Mr. President, St. Philomena is dedicated to the highest standards. 
It is a school committed to a process of continuous improvement not 
only for students but for teachers as well. Indeed, St. Philomena's 
teachers hone their skills as educators by continuously pursuing 
educational opportunities of their own.
  Mr. President, the Blue Ribbon School initiative shows us the very 
best we can do for students and the techniques that can be replicated 
in other schools to help all students succeed. I am proud to say that 
in Rhode Island we can look to a school like St. Philomena. Under the 
leadership of its principal, Sister Ann Marie Walsh, its capable 
faculty, and its involved parents, St. Philomena School will continue 
to be a shining example for years to come.

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