With less than a month before schools reopen, work on Pilgrim High School and the new Vets Junior High is well underway.
On Tuesday afternoon, Superintendent Philip Thornton, Mayor Scott …
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With less than a month before schools reopen, work on Pilgrim High School and the new Vets Junior High is well underway.
On Tuesday afternoon, Superintendent Philip Thornton, Mayor Scott Avedisian, Director of Buildings and Grounds Steve Gothberg and School Committee member Beth Furtado got a preview of the transformation of the two schools.
Although many of the projects are yet to be completed, significant progress has been made in the last month alone. Both school gymnasiums have new and refurbished floors, Vets has new sidewalks and curbing, and both schools are seeing a fresh coat of paint throughout the hallways. Still to be finished at both schools are auditorium renovations with new floors, staging, lighting and sound systems, new ceilings and tracks and improvements to entryways and common areas. Altogether, the construction this summer will be a little more than $3.2 million of work.
Gothberg said that all the projects are on time and on budget and slotted to be completed before schools open on August 31.
“There is so much hard work being done,” Gothberg said. “There has been a lot of overtime to make sure it’s all done on time.”
He noted that not only have the contractors involved been great to work with, with open lines of communication, but all the in-house work is moving right along. He commended Kevin Oliver, area maintenance and custodian supervisor, and his team for the tremendous effort being made.
“It is all falling into place,” he said.
Thornton said that come the first day of school, students and teachers will see a similar school, but with “dramatic changes” inside.
Although this summer’s construction is focusing on common spaces, Thornton said this is only the first phase of work and that over the next couple of years he would like to see renovations continue.
Thornton said he is working on a proposal for the 2017 budget for upwards of an $80 million bond, to be put in front of voters, to continue improvements to the district’s schools.
“Look at all we are doing with little more than $3 million,” he said. “Imagine what we could do with a bigger chunk of money.”
Where now the district is focusing on some more immediate concerns, very visual projects, Thornton said there is a lot to be done that may not be as visible. He wants to see new paving at every school, new HVAC systems and new technology, among others.
“We have been talking about this in the city for 20 years,” Mayor Scott Avedisian said. “We have done work in the past, but never to the extent we are seeing today.”
He noted that these improvements won’t only be a “great new beginning” for the school district but the city as a whole.
For the most part, this is the first time since either Pilgrim or Vets opened in 1962 and 1956, respectively, that either school has seen major renovations as seen this summer. The renovations were necessary, in his point of view, to ensure the district is using their resources to the best of their ability to serve and “prepare” the city’s students for the future.
“You don’t always get a chance to restart, so we have to use this opportunity to do it right from the beginning,” Avedisian said.
Furtado was visibly excited, especially as the tour entered into the auditoriums at Vets and Pilgrim, which, although unfinished, had both been emptied of their old seating with improvements to the stages. She noted that for years community events and organizations have used the Shapiro theatre at Toll Gate, but these renovations will open the city to more venues. The entire community, not just students and teachers, will benefit from the renovations to the two schools.
Furtado was “pleasantly surprised” with how far the “fantastic” work on the two schools had come.”
“This is starting to look like a 21st century building, a space we can get behind and be proud of,” Furtado said. “This had to happen. It was the right thing to do.”
Thornton believes, come the first day of school, the improvements made will make a big difference in the lives of both students and teachers.
“Everyone likes to live and work in an clean, inviting space,” he said. “We want to make these spaces the best for teaching and learning.”
5 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
richardcorrente
Dear Superintendent Dr. Thornton,
I admire your work ethic. No one will ever accuse you of having a lack of effort. In that category you get a well deserved "A".
As far as borrowing another $80,000,000 when we don't know where the School Committee is "storing" the millions they already have...Borrowing $80,000,000 when we have teachers without contracts??? Are you kidding??? The Warwick Teachers Union is willing to sit with you and negotiate. Why won't you?
Here is an offer. I will sponsor a luncheon. Any restaurant. Any day. Any time. It's on me. You, me, and a member of the Warwick Teachers Union, i.e. Darlene Netcoh , the president, if she is willing. If this violates the rules then whatever version of it that doesn't violate the rules is fine with me but Phil (you told me to call you "Phil"), we have to start a dialog. The teachers are in the moral right on this issue. The problem grows daily and the fault is clearly the School Committee's refusal to sit at the negotiation table so maybe we should sit at a lunch table instead. No agenda. Just lunch. The "common ground" that we may create can only help. Call me at 338-9900.
Show the 80,000 taxpayers that chip in to the tune of $160,000,000 a year that you want to spend their money wisely. You have nothing to lose and it could be the start of a long term solution.
Phil, please call me.
Richard Corrente
Endorsed Democrat for Mayor
Thursday, August 4, 2016 Report this
davet1107
Mr Corrente,
Youe penchant for bombast is something else. "..where the School Committee is 'storing' the millions they already have"? You've gotta be kidding! That kind of remark serves no purpose other than to inflame. I agree that the teachers need a contract but implicit in your remarks is that we shouldn't even pursue a sorely needed capital improvement plan until that time at which a contract is signed. Please don't be like so many others who demagogue our schools. One is simply not 'correlate-abe' to the other. Putting together a capital improvement plan shouldn't have to take the backseat here. Plus, budgetarily, they are different things. We have neglected our infrastructure for the last 20-25 years (and in that time negotiated contracts) and we're paying the price for that neglect now. So for you to imply that we should continue to use that very same road - i.e. don't do anything to improve the facilities until we have a contract in hand - make no sense to me at all. Again, the teachers absolutely deserve a contract but the buildings absolutely need to be improved and upgraded. We can walk and chew gum at the same time, sir. Lastly I'd like to pose to you a question: Will you, if elected, committ the the city to paying the P&I on the school's bonded indebtedness - like every other city and town in this state does? Or will will the schoolls have to choke on that P&I should the public approve a bond referendum to improve our schools?
Respectfully,
David Testa
Thursday, August 4, 2016 Report this
Imhere
What's scary here is letting such an incompetent person like Phil Thorton handle all this money, when he can't for the life of him protect our kids!! He puts even more incompetent people in appointed positions who can't protect our kids. John Gannon the " principal" at Norwood when he leaves his office is the most useless for letting these kids get touched on his watch and at his school. Maybe if he stepped out of his little he and did his job it might have been prevented but when there is no repercussions why would a problem child stop he can get away with it. Never mind that when a young girl comes forward with a complaint about an inappropriate touch these morons like Thorton,Dambruch, and Gannon say nothing happened like it's the girls fault and God forbid something in the future happens these girls will feel like no one has there back or are there for them. The best thing for these incompetent waste of tax payer money should resign!!!!
Friday, August 5, 2016 Report this
richardcorrente
Dear Dave1107 (AKA David Testa),
Thank you for finally coming out from the anonymity of a "pen name". When people use their own name it shows respect for the reader. As for your comment; wow, you certainly did use a whole lot of impressive words. Penchant, bombast, demagogue, implicit, correlate-able, budgetarily, etc. but to address your concerns here is how I feel.
1. Just because I choose to write about the need for teacher contracts, it does not mean I don't care about capital improvements. Don't "imply" that I have given them a "back seat". My remarks were "implicit" to that issue but it does not mean I am ignoring other problems. Please don't suggest that I am. Stick to the facts.
2. I have stated on many occasions that the bond from ten years ago is being unfairly paid for by the School Department. The renovations are being made on real estate owned by the city and therefore it should be the citys' debt. But don't try to trick me into "commit the City to paying the P&I" on it. That's unfair. You know I can't make that commitment. I strongly believe the debt is the responsibility of the City and I will "commit" to do everything in my power to reverse the P&I charges past, present, and future.
Now, am I being "correlate-able" enough in your opinion David?
If not you can always call me at 338-9900. I would enjoy talking to you and comparing ideas now that I know your identity.
Good luck on your campaign.
Richard Corrente
Endorsed Democrat for Mayor
Wednesday, August 10, 2016 Report this
WarwickfortheKids
Dear Mr. Corrente,
Your comments insinuating that critical school building improvements should not occur until there is a teacher's contract are deeply concerning. Most everyone can agree that we need a teacher's contract but to suggest that our children and teachers/staff should continue to be in unsafe and unhealthy environments until issues are worked through is irresponsible. Please leave the contract negotiations to the professionals - both the schools and the union leadership have multiple interests to balance but both sides do care about the students best interests as well. Let's support both sides on each issue that benefits our children, advocate for the city funding to properly educate our kids in healthy and safe environments and support our educators in both their jobs and well-being, and refrain from divisive comments that inflate.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016 Report this