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CC1174,

You are absolutely correct, the school buildings are the result of decades of neglect and will take significant investment and time to bring them up to acceptable learning environments. The schools have been leveled funded by the city for years and have been forced to pay for any capital upgrades through their annual budget - causing difficult choices for the school system regarding maintaining/upgrading facilities and grounds, technology, staff compensation/benefits, and resources/services/programs for students. Meanwhile, our taxes increase every year with no noticeable improvement in the quality of life for residents (and arguably a significant decrease), particularly children. Schools need to consolidate based on the declining child population but many of the issues being experienced now are the direct result of the lack of city support for upgrading the schools. Additionally, Warwick, once known as a top community for children, has not maintained/improved community playgrounds and fields, recreational areas such as Mickey Stevens (once the best in the state), sidewalks/safe pathways to schools, programs/camps for children or many of the resources that once made it the ideal place to grow up. The airport has increased exposure to noise and air pollution which further impacts our children's quality of life - teaching is interrupted constantly in many schools by air traffic and air quality measurement is needed on school grounds. What really needs to occur is city funding for new schools where our children can be given the opportunity of 21st century educational environments enjoyed by other communities, without living through constant construction (or even worse, continued deterioration of buildings). It is time to reinvest in our kids and the city's future.