[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 8]
[Senate]
[Page 11017]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



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

 Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the 
achievement of Tiogue School of Coventry, Rhode Island, which was 
recently honored as a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School. 
This is the second time in 3 years that a school from Coventry has 
earned this honor.
  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 of 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 Tiogue School is 
doing. Tiogue is a kindergarten through sixth grade school, which 
proudly says that it is a school ``where everybody is somebody'' and 
where children come first. These are more than just catch-phrases for 
Tiogue, which seeks to reach out to every student in the community and 
engages teachers, parents, and business and community leaders in the 
important job of education.
  Teams of teachers work to develop appropriate but rigorous standards 
for all students. The results are impressive. Tiogue students have 
exceeded the norms on state assessments in each of the past five years. 
But Tiogue's teachers also work to develop a curriculum that extends 
far beyond what the assessments measure. Each year, the school focuses 
on a particular issue, subject, or theme. As a preface to the Summer 
Olympics, students studied world cultures with a focus on the diverse 
background of the student population. During another year, students 
studied the arts and worked to develop their skills as artists, 
writers, musicians, and dancers. This year, Tiogue is taking their 
education to another level with an exploration of outer space.
  Mr. President, Tiogue School is dedicated to the highest standards. 
It is a school committed to a process of continuous improvement with a 
focus on high student achievement. Most importantly, Tiogue recognizes 
the value of the larger community and seeks its support and 
involvement. This school and community are making a huge difference in 
the lives of its students.
  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 Tiogue School. Under the 
leadership of its principal, Denise Richtarik, its capable faculty, and 
its involved parents, Tiogue School will continue to be a shining 
example for years to come.

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