About Our School

OUR MISSION

We are a safe, nurturing and respectful community.
 We will reach our full potential by growing in mind, body and spirit in accordance with the Catholic faith.
 We will live out the Gospel through Jesus Christ.
 We are peacemakers.

OUR STORY

St. Michael’s School opened on Gordon Avenue in September 1925, initially serving five grade levels. By 1931, the school had expanded to offer instruction for grades one through nine. Enrollment grew steadily, and by 1950 St. Michael’s served more than 1,300 pupils, making it the largest parochial school in the Diocese of Providence.

In the early 1970s, urban redevelopment and the resulting out-migration of families to the suburbs led to declining enrollment in several South Providence parish schools, including Assumption, St. Charles, St. Michael’s, and the Cathedral School of Saints Peter and Paul. As a result, St. Michael’s School closed. However, its large and well-constructed building was deemed ideal for continued educational use.

A diocesan study, authorized by the Bishop, concluded that the survival of Catholic education in South Providence required the creation of a regional school supported by the Diocese of Providence. In response, Bishop McVinney Regional School was established in 1973 through the collaborative efforts of principals, faculty, parents, and diocesan leadership. The new school was housed in the former St. Michael’s building, preserving its long-standing educational mission.

Guided by the ideals of the Sisters of Mercy and later the Sisters of the Cross and Passion, the school’s mission has remained constant: to provide a high-quality Catholic education in which students grow academically, spiritually, and in God’s love. Today, Bishop McVinney School continues to serve the Catholic educational needs of a diverse urban community, carrying forward a proud, resilient, and inspiring legacy.

 
 ACCREDITATION

We are fully accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). 

For more information about NEASC accreditation, please visit the Association’s website  at https://cis.neasc.org/about-accreditation.

MEMBER PARISHES

The following parishes are affiliated with Bishop McVinney School. Please visit their websites to learn more about these vibrant, faith-filled Catholic communities.

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Cathedral of SS. Peter and Paul
St. Charles Borromeo
St. Michael the Archangel