EPSD Family Bulletin - November 2026

November 1, 2026

Dear East Providence School Department Families,

Happy November! There is a certain excitement in our schools this time of year, and you can feel it in the crisp mornings, in the packed bleachers under the lights, and in the focus of students pushing toward the finish line of the first quarter.

That classroom work is the heart of what we do. Students are wrapping up units of study that began back in warm September weather, and in a few short weeks the first quarter will close. When report cards come home, I encourage you to look for growth and ask your child what they can do now that they could not do two months ago. Perhaps your reluctant reader finally found the right book, or a quiet student raised a hand for the first time, or a young person learned to revise a draft instead of giving up. That growth is the real story of this quarter, and our teachers see it happening every day.

October was filled with fun family events. Trunk or Treat events at elementary schools were a lot of fun. At the middle and high schools, our fall athletes have given us plenty to cheer about as well. Several of our teams are heading into season championships, including an exciting Division Championship by the EPHS Girls Tennis Team. I hope you will come out, bring a neighbor, and make some noise for our teams. Whether our students are competing for a title or closing out a season that stretched them in new ways, they have represented East Providence with heart. In the same way, our artists and musicians are creating impressive works like the beautiful sounds of the EPHS, MMS, and RMS Bands and Choruses we heard at the annual Collaborative Concert in early October and during halftime shows at Friday night football games.

Looking back on my first four months as Superintendent, I am proud of the ground we have covered together. The School Committee and the City Council passed our budget, and we received our accountability ratings from the Rhode Island Department of Education. Our preschool building project at Martin Middle School is moving steadily toward a spring completion. Across our buildings, families have filled hallways and gymnasiums for events that remind us what community pride looks like.

As we start November, principals will continue to share information important to individual schools. In the meantime, to help us carry our momentum into the second quarter, here is some recent news pertinent to our school district. 

Robert S. Perry, Ed.D.

Superintendent of Schools

Construction on the New Pre-K Moving Along: With the completion of the facade of the new Pre-K section attached to Edward R. Martin Middle School, we are more excited than ever about the proposed spring completion. Walls are being painted and floors tiled, and a playground that will soon be filled with preschoolers has a new, safe foundation. This building will be a model for the rest of the region. Read about the new Pre-K construction.

New EPSD Website: The team in our Information Technology (IT) Department has been hard at work on a new district website. Check out epschoolsri.org, where you will find an updated district calendar, contact information, and some recent news. New school websites are coming next. In the meantime, schools will be continuing to keep families informed with ParentSquare updates.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Schools: AI has been such a hot topic recently, and the use of AI apps has increased in so many parts of our lives. Innovation is moving so fast that it has created some concerns in schools. Concerns exist about the use of AI by students in school work, data privacy, and cyber security. To address this, district leaders are coming together to examine how AI can be used to impact our schools in a positive way while keeping our school community safe. New policies are being considered and will be introduced in the coming months. In the meantime, educators, students, and families are reminded to be mindful when using new technology.

Attendance Matters: Student attendance continues to be a focus of the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and in the schools of East Providence. We all agree that being present at school gives kids the best chance to be successful. We ask all parents for their support by encouraging their children to be at school every day and on time. It is a skill of many successful adults. Recently, East Providence schools have been among the Rhode Island schools with the highest daily attendance. Myron J. Francis and Martin Middle School are near the top of their categories!

RIDE Releases School Accountability Ratings: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released its annual accountability ratings, also known as the school report cards. In a sentence, our schools mostly held steady showing some growth and some challenges. We will highlight the positive, like some substantial gains in math achievement. However, we have to recognize the challenges that have stayed with us for some time. We know we have significant work to do in some areas. At an upcoming School Committee meeting, there will be a presentation of our results. Here is a link to the RIDE District Report Card.

Myron J. Francis Recognized as Top School in Rhode Island: For the second year in a row, US News ranked Myron J. Francis as one of the top 10 elementary schools in Rhode Island. Congratulations to the entire MJF school community for its efforts! Here is a link to the US News report.

East Providence High School Hall of Fame Inducts Five New Members: Congratulations to Nate Cahoon, TJ Del Santo, Jennifer Lee, Rob Traverse, and Marilyn MacDonald on their induction to the EPHS Hall of Fame. A celebration was held on October 18th to honor these outstanding Townies. Read about the EPHS Hall of Fame inductees here.

East Providence Educators Honored at WaterFire Event: Congratulations to Jessica D'Orsi, Tina Ash, and Robert Hanlon, who were honored at a special WaterFire on Saturday, October 24th. D'Orsi, an East Providence High School ELA and MLL teacher was presented her award as East Providence Teacher of the Year. Jessica said, “I have students from all over the world. They left their homes and moved to a new country where they had to learn a new language and culture, yet they never give up. I greatly admire their perseverance, strength, and courage. At the high school, we have built a community for these students. They feel welcomed, appreciated, and seen.” EPHS Librarian, Tina Ash, was recognized at the RI Librarian of the Year, and Robert Hanlon, EPCTC Director was awarded the Career Tech Administrator of the Year. Read about the event here.

Hennessey Earns Unified Champion School Banner: Principal Tonianne Napolitano is happy to report that Agnes B. Hennessey Elementary School has been granted Banner status through the Rhode Island Special Olympics organization! A Unified Champion School receiving national banner recognition is one that demonstrates commitment to inclusion by achieving the 12 standards. These standards are based upon implementation of the 3 components of Special Olympics Unified Sports, inclusive youth leadership, and whole-school engagement. National banner schools must also demonstrate they have a plan in place to sustain these activities into the future. Hennessey will receive their banner in a ceremony on November 19th!

Thank You to Our Incredible School Principals: East Providence is lucky to have an amazing core of school principals, and throughout the past month students, parents, and educators recognized them for their work. As we close out Principal Appreciation Month, let's recognize our school principals for the contributions they make to the lives of our students and families. Read about our incredible school principals.

Townie Athletics Teams Moving Toward Championships: It has been an Autumn full of highlights as athletics teams at East Providence High School, Martin Middle School, and Riverside Middle School have found success on the fields and courts. The EPHS Football team is 8-0 and the Girls Tennis Team ended the season with a division championship! Unified and Girls Volleyball teams are headed to the playoffs, and our cross country runners are gearing up for the final races of the season. Soccer teams thrilled us all season long. Click the links below for schedules of games and events.

EPHS Unified Volleyball to Celebrate Senior Night: On November 4th at 4:30 pm, the East Providence High School Unified Volleyball team will play its Senior Game in the Ramos Gymnasium EPHS. All Townies - students, families, "The Herd," and student-athletes from every team are welcome to fill the gym and show support for our Unified athletes. Unified athletes and partners from our middle and elementary schools and their families are invited to celebrate World Diversity Awareness Month and an event that promotes inclusion, sportsmanship, and unity.