Melville Message Community Update

In partnership with families and community, the mission of Melville Elementary School is to provide all students with a strong academic foundation through diverse and challenging instruction in a safe and nurturing environment enabling them to achieve their greatest potential while developing self-confidence, respect, responsibility, compassion and a love of learning.

Join us on Saturday, October 24, from 2:00–5:00 PM for an afternoon of games, raffles, delicious food, fall fun, and more! Admission is FREE! We're extending the deadline for classroom raffle basket donations to Monday, October 19, so there's still time to contribute! Advance ticket sales and sandwich preorders (sandwiches are pre-order only!) close Tuesday, October 20.

NEW THIS YEAR! We're excited to welcome Charter Books, a Melville family-owned bookstore in Newport, for a special book sale! A portion of the Proceeds will go back to the MPTG!

All festival proceeds go directly back to MPTG to support field trips, after-school activities, enrichment opportunities, and so much more for our Melville students!

We can't wait to celebrate with our Melville families!

Since this event does not take place during school hours and all children are with families, you do not need to be VIS approved to support the Fall Festival by volunteering.

Please click HERE to volunteer!

It was such a blast creating clues and hosting an undercover Hawaiian-themed Spirit Day on Friday to kick off this year’s production and get our entire Melville community guessing! Thank you to everyone who helped bring the excitement to life and made the big reveal so much fun!

On Tuesday night we had our October MPTG Meeting. Here is a summary of the Principal's Updates.

This letter is to share with you how we communicate with you about your child’s learning. All students in Grades K–4 will receive mid-trimester Progress Reports and end-of-trimester Report Cards.

Benchmark Assessments: All students take benchmark assessments three times a year—fall, winter, and spring. These screenings help teachers understand each child’s strengths and areas for growth in reading and math. The results guide classroom instruction and help ensure that every student is making progress. Teachers will review this data with families and share any RtI (Response to Intervention) plans if additional support is needed.

In addition to academic benchmarks, students participate in SAEBRS and mySAEBRS social emotional screenings, which help us better understand students’ social, academic, and emotional well-being at school. These screenings help us identify students who may benefit from additional support.

Progress Reports:Progress Reports provide families with an update on how students are performing in their classes and on benchmark assessments. They reflect academic progress, effort, and classroom participation. These reports, along with benchmark results, help families see how their child is growing over time and where continued support or enrichment may be helpful.

Report Cards: We use a standards-based report card aligned with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which outline the skills and knowledge students are expected to learn by the end of each grade level. Report Cards show your child’s progress toward these grade-level expectations. For this reason, many students will not yet be rated “Secure” during Trimester 1. This is completely normal and reflects that learning is still in progress. Report Cards are printed and sent home with students on the dates listed in the image provided. They will also be available on ASPEN. Report Card envelopes must be signed and returned to school.

Academic Progress

• S (Secure): Mastered the benchmark

• D (Developing): Growing and needs some support

• B (Beginning): Needs more support

• N/A: Standard not yet taught

• NP: Did not participate

Schoolwide Expectations

• C (Consistently): Consistently demonstrates the responsibility

• S (Sometimes): Sometimes demonstrates the responsibility

• R (Rarely): Rarely demonstrates the responsibility

Key Reminders

• Growth Mindset: Celebrate effort and progress—not just grades. Encourage your child to set goals and keep trying, even when learning feels challenging.

• Attendance: Consistent attendance helps students build confidence and achieve success.

• Communication: Stay connected! Reach out anytime with questions or concerns about your child’s progress.

• Support at Home: Encourage daily reading, problem-solving, and creative thinking.

This information will remain in our Melville Community Update under “Repeats & Resources” for easy reference.

Warm regards,

Danielle Laurie

Principal, Melville Elementary School

Melville School is going orange on October 21st for Unity Day! Wear as much orange as you can to show that we stand together!

Unity Day is a special day in October when schools all over the country come together to spread kindness and show that everyone belongs. We wear orange to show that we care about including others, being kind, and standing up against bullying.

Apple Crunch Day in Rhode Island is a statewide celebration that takes place on Thursday October 22, 2026 at NOON- as part of National Farm to School Month. Organized by the Rhode Island Farm to School Network, the event encourages schools and community groups across the state to synchronize and "crunch" into locally grown apples at lunchtime or another chosen time. This initiative aims to promote healthy eating, support local agriculture, and raise awareness of Farm to School activities.

At Melville, we’re excited to join the celebration! Every student will receive an apple, and at noon, we will all take a big, crunchy bite together to celebrate Apple Crunch Day.

Sign Up Link Below!

Please join the fun!

Changes to District Attendance Policy

New Report Links Consistent Arts Education Participation with Lower Absenteeism

Over the last two years, the Portsmouth School Department has made everyday school attendance a priority. It is well known that everyday attendance improves school connectedness, positive learning habits, and overall academic achievement. The attendance policy now has criteria for afterschool activities eligibility (sports and clubs) with regards to tardies and dismissals. Please take a moment to review the updated attendance policy linked here.

Portsmouth School Department has always supported the performance arts. There has been a positive correlation between participating in the arts and lower instances of chronic absenteeism. Please see the article below from the RI Education Commissioners Field Memo.

Recently, RIDE and the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts (RISCA) announced the findings of a new statistical review revealing a strong association between sustained participation in arts education and lower rates of chronic absenteeism among Rhode Island public school students. The study, Chronic Absenteeism and Arts Participation in Rhode Island Public Schools: A Statistical Review, found the strongest association among students with sustained, consistent participation in arts education rather than single-course enrollment, with attendance benefits especially notable among historically underserved student populations. When students have opportunities to explore their creativity, develop their talents, and connect with learning in meaningful ways, they are more likely to come to school and thrive. These findings suggest that consistent access to arts education may play an important role in helping students stay engaged in school.

Year-end data for School Year 2025-2026 shows that Rhode Island students have experienced a 14.4-percentage-point decrease in chronic absenteeism since the height of the pandemic, resulting in the recovery of approximately 4.4 million instructional hours.

In partnership,

Angélica Infante-Green

October

20 - Fall Conferences

21 - Unity Day-Wear Orange

22 - Flu Clinic, 4PM-6:30PM-Melville Cafeteria

24 -Fall Festival 2PM-5PM-Melville School

28 - One-Hour Early Release

30 - Schoolwide Character Day

November

3 - No School: Election Day

11 - No School: Veterans Day

12 - Fall Conferences

25-27 - No School: Thanksgiving Recess

December

9- Report Cards go home and Family Portal is Open

12 - Merry Melville 9AM-12PM

21-22 Winter Spirit Week

22 - Whaledone Recognition Announcements

23-31: No School: Holiday Recess

January

1 - No School: Holiday Recess

13 - One-Hour Early Release

18 - No School: MLK Jr. Day

19 -MPTG Meeting and Whale of an Evening planning

22 - Winter BINGO with the MPTG, 4:30PM-6PM

25-29 Reading Spirit Week & Book Fair

February

9 - MPTG and Whale of an Evening planning Virtual Planning

15-19 - No School: Winter Recess

26 - Cozy Night with a Book MPTG Event 4:30-6:00

March

9 - MPTG and Whale of an Evening planning Virtual Planning

10 - One-Hour Early Release

19 -Whale of an Evening

22-26 Wellness Week

25- Report Cards go home and Family Portal is Open

26 - No School: Good Friday

April

14 - One-Hour Early Release

15 - Purple Up on the Playground

19-23 - No School: Spring Recess

27 - Bus Driver Appreciation

May

3-7 Staff Appreciation

11 - MPTG Meeting

20-Fun Run Rain date the 21st

31 - No School: Memorial Day

June

1 - Grade 4 Handprints

2 - Graduates Walk the Halls

4 - PHS Graduation

8 - MPTG and Family Appreciation

9 - Field Day (rain date the 10th)

17-Report Cards go home and Family Portal is Open

17 - LAST Day of school (180th day)

18 - Snow Make-up Day (if needed)

21 - No School: Juneteenth (Observed)

22-23 Snow Make-up Day (if needed)

Email: lauried@portsmouthschoolsri.org
Website: https://www.portsmouthschoolsri.org/Domain/11
Location: 1351 West Main Road, Portsmouth, RI, USA
Phone: 4016831650
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009159177892
Twitter: @MelvilleSchool