Hugh B. Bain Middle School Maintains its High Performance

During the 80 years Hugh B. Bain Middle School has been educating children, numerous changes have taken place. Over the past four years, the school’s motto has been “whatever it takes” — a slogan that aims to keep the school motivated to maintain its high performing status. That rating, assigned by the state Department of Education, is the highest classification a school can have. And that’s good news for the 415 seventh and eighth graders enrolled there.

The rating also speaks to the leadership of Principal Thomas A. Barbieri, who took charge in 2005 when the school was in a caution rating. In just one year, the school began to turn around and test scores jumped.

Barbieri who has been in the education field for 20 years, said the turnaround was a collaborative effort, drawing on the hard work of teachers, parents, students and the administration, who came together and worked hard to meet the same goal.

The school started off with the basics. Bain qualifies as a Title One school, which means a majority of students qualify for the free or reduced breakfast and lunch program.

In addition to the students receiving a free breakfast or lunch the school also qualified for a 21st Century federal grant, called Bain Plus Two, which gives students two more hours each day to do homework and other enrichment activities.

All the hard work has paid off:  in 2009, the school was the recipient of the Patriotic Award from the Rhode Island Veterans of Foreign Wars for their community service. In 2010, Bain was named middle school of the year by the state Attorney General for providing a safe education environment.

One way students are keeping up with technology is in a pilot program where students in Bill Morris’ social studies classes use laptop computers.

And every morning, students report from a live television studio in the building, announcing the days events to start the day.

On Feb. 18, students will get an opportunity to give back to the community as the school will raise money for the Pennies for Patients organization. 

"Last year by shooting basketball hoops the school raised $2,000,” Barbieri said.

This year the students are modeling the popular TV show, “Minute to Win it.” They’ll be working hard to meet last year’s mark since the school population has decreased — sixth graders returned to elementary school this year.

In March, the school is planning a talent show and students are performing an anti-bullying presentation for third and fourth graders under the direction of social worker Sherri Brown, who in 2009 won the National School Advisor for her work on Project Respect, a peer education program that teaches students to treat others as they’d like to be treated.

For more informationi on Bain's upcoming events, call the school at 270-8010.