Sharing resources: town leases empty school to North Providence

Editors note: Due to a production error, this story did not run in full in last week’s edition. This is an edited version of that story.

Thanks to an arrangement reached between Mayor Joseph Polisena and North Providence Mayor Charles Lombardi, about 275 students from the neighboring community will soon attend school in Johnston.

“Today, both Johnston and North Providence will work together in a temporary form of consolidation,” said Polisena at a press conference held at Calef Elementary on Waveland Street Wednesday. “I’m pleased to say that North Providence students will be temporarily attending the Calef Elementary School and those students will have a safe, clean, nurturing environment and a nice school to attend while North Providence forges ahead to build their two new elementary schools.”

Last November, North Providence voters overwhelmingly approved a $75 million bond, which calls for the demolition of the McGuire and Stephen Olney Elementary Schools and the building of two new elementary schools. Construction is slated to begin this coming fall, with completion expected in January 2019.  

According to North Providence’s superintendent, Dr. Melinda Smith, their schools were constructed in the 1930s and had heating, electrical and roofing issues. She said it would be more cost-effective for the district to build new schools rather than refurbish existing facilities.

Both mayors explained that talks about the arrangement began about four months ago. North Providence originally planned to construct the two new schools separately, shuffling students around several locations while building took place, before realizing cost savings from simultaneous construction.

Mayor Lombardi stated that construction costs can increase up to five to seven percent per year and that he could save North Providence taxpayers a “considerable amount of money” through the Calef agreement. He also estimated that construction may have taken an additional year or more if done separately.

“The Town of North Providence is going to save close to two million dollars by putting this agreement together,” said Lombardi. “On behalf of all the residents and taxpayers of North Providence, and I think I can speak for the school department, this we appreciate, you have no idea.”

Polisena said he contacted Johnston School Committee chairwoman Janice Mele and asked if she and the district would be able to rearrange students and offices so that there would be minimal interruption to Johnston’s students. While an arrangement has been reached, terms for a rental agreement have yet to be finalized. Mayor Polisena stated that North Providence will pay utility fees, and their custodial staff will complete maintenance, with Mayor Lombardi stating the rental costs will be fair for both communities. Any needed rescue services at the school will be completed by Johnston Police and Fire.

“This school is a perfect fit for the students, their teachers and the ancillary staff of North Providence. They will be in a school setting as they continue to learn,” said Polisena. “The only thing is, they will obviously need transportation here. The buses will come here to Calef, and they won’t lose that elementary school character.”

“Our biggest thing is transportation. Everyone will be bused from McGuire to Calef, and they’re working on getting stops and routes established with their bus company,” added Superintendent Smith. “We can’t be more grateful to you all, and we know that this is going to be a great place to call McGuire home for the next 18 months to two years.”

With approximately 275 students at the school, kindergarten through third grade will hold 22 students per classroom, and grades 4 and 5 will have 27 pupils. North Providence does not expect that number to increase. 

Calef stopped serving as a classic elementary school after the 2007-2008 school year. Since that time, it has been used by the school department as a conference center, for a special education classroom, a printing center and for various offices, which will be moved to other facilities in the interim. According to Dr. DiLullo, the one special needs class currently at Calef will move to one of the town’s other elementary schools, which has yet to be determined.

The school is up to date with alarms, fire rated windows and is a clean and maintained facility, according to Polisena.

“I welcome the students and faculty of North Providence in the fall, when they begin their school year, they’ll be in a different but comforting environment,” he said. “We will ensure that there will be little to no impact to the students, the faculty and, of course, Mayor Lombardi and the superintendent’s office. Johnston and North Providence will always have a strong bond that is unbreakable, and we will always be there for each other.”

“It’s for the children, it’s for education, it’s for our future,” added Mayor Lombardi.