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Priorities: the Superintendent as well as the School Committee dropped the ball for the opening day of school. Superintendent Thornton indicated ALL summer that the improvements/upgrades/the consolidation process was going without any hitches & everything was on schedule. Renovations should NOT be occurring during school time. With consolidation one might expect some problems/glitches as it is being implemented. The renovations should have been limited/reduced if there was ANY problems with their completion being ON TIME-rushed jobs many times require that they be done again! Now we receive the Superintendents' statements that more time & money is required for all the improvements(I don't believe the School Administration should be asking for funding for a "State of the Art" sports facility when we can't trust the School Administration with "basic" operational issues) to occur . I/one can possibly see some problems with new bus schedules/routes & traffic problems at the beginning/start of the school year-these need to be addressed on an ongoing basis. The Warwick DPW installed sod for Pilgrim's football field; my understanding is the turf needs to "settle" & can't/won't be used until next fall-couldn't this be done in the spring of 2017? The School Administration needs to address priorities:

1) Negotiate/obtain/agree/settle on a new teachers contract

2) Implement school consolidation at the secondary level/address any & all problems/issues

3) Upgrade Vets HVAC system-don't wait for a new bond issue proposed for November 2017; in all likelihood that means at least another winter(winter 2018) where an antiquated HVAC system is operating. That would be WASTING money & not providing a good learning environment.

4) Communication with Warwick residents/taxpayers/parents/students/teachers/the Mayor/City Council as to phase 2 of the consolidation process; in the fall of 2017 the SC is planning 2 grades of students to change schools(6th/7th grades) because of the middle school model conversion as well as closing 2 elementary & reconfiguring Francis to replace Drum Rock. From the past 6 months the community has generally been aware of this but on Tues.(9/6/16) was the first public indication of ANY specifics(maybe it would be better to delay this 2nd phase by one school year)-better communication is needed.

in the meantime, issues HAVEN'T been addressed & NEW issues have developed; this is NOT well for school operations & PR perceptions.