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Committee OKs ‘Educational Planner’ for High School Improvement Advice

[CREDIT: File Photo] Warwick Veterans Jr. High School at 2401 W Shore Road.

[CREDIT: File Photo] Warwick Veterans Jr. High School at 2401 W Shore Road.
[CREDIT: File Photo] Warwick Veterans Middle School at 2401 W Shore Road.
WARWICK, RI – The School Committee authorized the district to develop an educational planner position Tuesday night at Warwick Veterans Middle School.

Superintendent Phil Thornton said he’d had “several positive conversations” with Mayor Solomon about the position.

The planner would evaluate the high schools and make recommendations for improvements such as roof repairs.

“It’s a long marathon process of homework,” Thornton noted.

Thornton has been authorized to develop the position, with the final details including the salary to be voted on at a later date. More information about the position will be provided at the Oct. 25 meeting.

The committee also approved additional staffing at Toll Gate to accommodate special education students who fit the “alternately assessed,” category, who may be in an Individual Education Program IEP or other special education program. The change will allow one technical educator and one music teacher to teach a sixth class in order to offer elective sections to the AA students.

The alternately assessed students spend five periods per cycle with their special educators, one period in physical education, and one period in a music or a technical
education elective.

Because of an increase in ninth grade students at Toll Gate, no music or technical education teachers were available to dedicate to the alternately assessed students, explained Robert Littlefield, director of secondary education in a letter to Thornton.

“It’s good for everyone to have music and art,” said committee chairperson Karen Bachus.

The cost of the additions is $30,000.

The committee also approved funding security features for the third floor, rear entrance to Toll Gate High School for $6,300.

Littlefield explained the work was necessary in order to facilitate students traveling back and forth between the Drum Rock Annex and Toll Gate and the Annex to the Career Center.

“With the health occupations program, the pre-education program, and the Cisco networking program now located at the Annex, students need access to the rear entrance to the high school. The technology will allow the clerk stationed at the main entrance to visually identify students at the back entrance and “buzz” them into the building,” Littlefield said.

The committee also approved a contract with US Playground Surfacing for playground mulch to be used at elementary school playgrounds throughout the district, at $14,107.17.

Joe Siegel
Author: Joe Siegel

Joe Siegel is a regular contributing writer for WarwickPost.com. His reporting has appeared in The Sun Chronicle in Attleboro and EDGE.

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