CPN would like to offer a hearty congratulations to our members at the Spurwink School for there recent accreditation by The National Commission for the Accreditation of Special Education Services! The press release follows:


Mr. Raymond Arsenault, MA, Executive Director of spurwink|ri announced today that The Spurwink School has been awarded accreditation from The National Commission for the Accreditation of Special Education Services (NCASES).

Established in 1982, The Spurwink School located at 365 River Road, Lincoln, RI, is a year-round licensed special education program serving children ages 5-18 with behavioral and emotional challenges.

The accreditation planning team consisting of Raymond Arsenault, MA, Executive Director; Ann-marie Hughes, M.S., Director; Carleen Bellaire, M.Ed., Administrator of Special Education; Elizabeth Veasey, LCSW, Clinical Supervisor; and spurwink|ri Board of Directors have worked continuously on the preparation for this accreditation for the past eight months, culminating with a comprehensive three-day site visit by a review team appointed by NCASES national headquarters in Washington, DC.

Ms. Carleen Bellaire, M.Ed., Administrator of Special Education, stated “Achieving this national accreditation acknowledges that The Spurwink School (faculty, clinical services, curriculum and technology) meets or exceeds the rigorous standards established for private special education programs. We are very proud to have obtained this unique distinction.”

NCASES Commissioner, Joseph Leshko, commended The Spurwink School faculty, stating “This achievement illustrates The Spurwink School’s commitment to providing the highest standards of special education services.”