Melissa Lipa of Mount Pleasant High School in Providence Named Rhode Island’s 2026 School Counselor of the Year
Published on Wednesday, February 04, 2026
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Today, Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) officials including Deputy Commissioner Dr. Drew Echelson, joined Anne-Marie Flaherty, President of the Rhode Island School Counselor Association (RISCA), as well as school leaders, educators, and students of the Providence Public School District (PPSD), during a surprise visit to Mount Pleasant High School to recognize Melissa Lipa as Rhode Island’s 2026 School Counselor of the Year.
The event marked National School Counseling Week, which is sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and highlights the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Nominees for the Rhode Island School Counselor of the Year were selected by their peers.
“Congratulations to Melissa Lipa,” said Governor Dan McKee. “Melissa represents the best of Rhode Island school counselors, having spent her career devoted to supporting student achievement and providing resources for students, parents, teachers and administrators.”
“School counselors play a vital role in supporting students’ academic success, mental health, and overall well-being,” said Education Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “Melissa Lipa helps students find their own path, preparing them for both college and career. As we recognize the important work of school counselors during National School Counseling Week, on behalf of Rhode Island students and educators, I’m happy to celebrate Melissa for her dedication to the profession and our children.”
“This is a well-deserved recognition for Melissa,” said RISCA President and 2023 Rhode Island School Counselor of the Year Anne-Marie Flaherty. “She is devoted to ensuring that students at Mount Pleasant High School are supported not just as learners, but as whole people prepared to thrive in school and beyond.”
“Melissa’s dedication to students at Mount Pleasant High School is widely known across PPSD,” said Dr. Javier Montañez, Superintendent of the Providence Public School District. “I’m pleased that educators and students across the state are recognizing her amazing work to create safe spaces for students, and to help identify and address barriers to student learning.”
State school counselors of the year are invited to Washington, D.C. each year for a celebration of their work and participate in webinars and professional learning opportunities during National School Counseling Week.
RIDE recognizes the critical role school counseling programs play in students’ lives and have launched an updated Rhode Island Framework for Comprehensive PreK–12 School Counseling Programs, along with a range of professional learning opportunities, to support school counselors across Rhode Island. These opportunities include school planning grants and professional learning opportunities, for which school counselors will be paid a stipend to participate.
In recognition of their work to implement best practices for school counseling, two Rhode Island Schools, Smithfield High School and Ponaganset High School, have earned national RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program) recognition from the American School Counselor Association. RIDE has set the goal of providing planning grants to up to 30 schools to achieve RAMP status by 2030.
Additionally, in partnership with the College Board, RIDE is offering a paid “Commissioner's Counselors” Professional Development opportunity to Rhode Island high school counselors. Training will be focused on providing tools and resources to ensure every student graduates prepared for college and career.
To learn more about professional learning opportunities visit RIDE’s K-12 School Counseling webpage.
To learn more about previous Rhode Island Counselor of the Year award recipients, visit RISCA’s recognition webpage.