[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 185 (Monday, November 26, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S7081]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               RECOGNIZING DR. LEVESQUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I am delighted to commend Dr. Levesque 
Elementary School in Frenchville, ME, on being named a 2018 National 
Blue Ribbon Exemplary High Performing School. This outstanding school 
is one of only 349 schools across the country to receive Blue Ribbon 
recognition from the U.S. Department of Education this year.
  Created in 1982, the Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and 
private schools that are either academically superior in their States 
or that demonstrate significant gains in student achievement. The 
schools singled out for this national recognition are models of high 
educational standards and accountability.
  This award continues a tradition of quality education at Dr. Levesque 
Elementary School, which first received a Blue Ribbon in 1999. Serving 
128 students from the small rural communities of Frenchville and St. 
Agatha in northern Aroostook County, this school is succeeding in its 
mission to encourage engaged lifelong learners. As a native of 
Aroostook County, I am especially proud of this accomplishment.
  Faculty and staff are committed to both academic excellence and each 
child's social, emotional, and physical health. They work to ensure a 
safe and secure learning environment and to develop strong and 
collaborative relationships with parents and community members. 
Teachers emphasize math and reading, while also giving students rich 
and diverse opportunities, from art and music to robotics and physical 
education. The Franco-American communities of Frenchville and St. 
Agatha are bilingual, and the school provides daily instruction in the 
French language and Acadian culture.
  The school's name is a tribute to Dr. Romeo Levesque, who provided 
expert, dedicated, and compassionate medical care to these communities 
for many decades. The strong school community, where students are 
encouraged to pursue their interests and to be of service to others, 
honors his memory.
  I applaud the administrators, teachers, staff, and parents of Dr. 
Levesque Elementary School. Together, they are succeeding in their 
mission to build students' confidence and generate momentum for 
learning. They are making a difference in the lives of their students, 
helping them reach their full potential as independent, responsible 
learners and citizens. I congratulate the entire school community for 
this outstanding achievement.

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