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Warwick is stuck between a rock & a hard place. And, in general, it's related to education. Back during the 1960s, Warwick had 21,000+ students & a population of almost 90,000 by the end of the 1970s. Those days are gone & the decline in student enrollment & population is now being addressed by the Warwick School System as far as the educational programs are concerned. These issues should have begun to be solved during the 1990s. Here we are-trying to solve ALL the issues at once; more or less at the last minute. Consolidation at the high school level has only JUST begun & it's a struggling work in progress. Consolidation at the elementary level is anticipated to start in Sept., 2017. Maybe that can be delayed a year. But the elementary level plans include a "middle" school model change for Vets & Winman (5th & 6th graders will be changing schools at the same time-regardless of WHEN that eventually occurs). Drum Rock, as is, doesn't meet State Education requirements for early learning without MAJOR changes. As an outsider, I personally believe that only JBF or Wyman could meet these requirements from what I've read & basically they're in the same general area. The choice appears to be between the two. On top of that, most of Warwick's school buildings require major renovations(the planned $ 250 million bond proposal ). Then you have to add the effect of Green Airport's expansion plans into the mix-on enrollment & on which schools are you planning to close. I expect problems for the next several years as the consolidation/renovations are implemented regardless of whatever member makeup exists on the School Committee.

Not having a current employment contract with the Teachers union only complicates matters .