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Members of the Barrington School Committee (left) are shown during a public meeting in October.

Angry parents aiming to remove Barrington School Committee members

An effort is underway to remove members of the Barrington School Committee from office. During an hour-long public comment period at Thursday night’s school committee meeting, more than a … more

By Josh Bickford | 2/19/22

Barrington School Committee Chairwoman Gina Bae (center) is pictured during a public meeting in October.

School committee fires five teachers, including three special education teachers

The Barrington School Committee fired five teachers during Thursday night’s meeting. But the process of issuing “notices of non-renewal” did not allow the public to know many … more

By Josh Bickford | 2/18/22

Barrington schools issue complex new mask rules

Barrington Public Schools released a list of their new Covid mitigation measures, which include new rules about masks and quarantine times. District officials shared a framework for how it will … more

2/16/22

Barrington schools backing off booster mandate, allowing alternative to the shot

Members of the Barrington teachers union voted to approve an agreement that carves out an exception to the school committee’s booster mandate. The agreement, which was voted through … more

2/15/22

A recent facilities study revealed that Barrington High School School (shown) needs $39.23 million in repairs.

District taps brakes on school building plans

Gina Bae said the message from Barrington residents was clear: School officials need to slow down the process. Barrington school leaders decided late last week to pump the brakes on an in-depth … more

By Josh Bickford | 2/10/22

The Barrington Middle School auditorium was closed in the late winter of 2020 after school officials discovered that the acoustic panels were falling off the walls. It has remained closed since.

Auditorium off-limits for last two years at new Barrington school

The new Barrington Middle School building has been open for less than three years. And for two of those years, the state-of-the-art auditorium located inside the school has been … more

By Josh Bickford | 2/9/22

Heider Al-Chalabi (left), Simon Robbins, Michael Cancilliere and Jacob Dickstein work on L1NU5 during a recent robotics team practice at Barrington High School.

Barrington High School robotics team faces plenty of challenges

The Barrington High School RoboEagles began their quest for a robotics state championship on Nov. 10. That gave them about four months to build their robot, complete all the necessary coding and … more

By Josh Bickford | 2/2/22

Barrington teachers Kerri Thurber, Brittany DiOrio, and Stephanie Hines (from left to right) sit with their attorney, Greg Piccirilli during a pre-termination hearing in Oct. 2021.

Appeal hearing for three unvaccinated teachers postponed ... again

The appeal hearing for three fired Barrington teachers has been postponed… again. The hearing had been scheduled for Thursday night, Jan. 27 via Zoom, but the teachers reportedly refused to … more

1/27/22

A crowd celebrates the completion of the new Barrington Middle School. A recent facilities study details the need for new elementary schools in Barrington also.

Jan. 31 workshop will focus on future of Barrington's public schools

What will the future of public schools look like in Barrington? A Jan. 31 community workshop will discuss that exact topic. A team of officials including representatives from the … more

1/27/22

St. Andrew’s School is partnering with The Wolf School to create a supportive and comprehensive high school option for complex learners.

St. Andrew’s partnering with The Wolf School

The Wolf School and St. Andrew’s School are partnering to create a supportive and comprehensive high school option for complex learners. With the goal of increasing access to a wider range … more

1/24/22

Barrington High School Principal Joe Hurley is shown during a prior graduation. He will retire at the end of the school year.

Longtime Barrington High School principal is retiring

Principal Joe Hurley has been at Barrington High School for more than two decades. And he’s been working in education for more than 40 years. But later this year, shortly after he hands out … more

By Josh Bickford | 1/21/22

Barrington High School recently began utilizing a shorter quarantine time for teachers who were asymptomatic and testing negative. Students must still observe a 10-day quarantine.

Barrington teachers, not students, offered shorter quarantine

Should teachers have shorter quarantine times than students? In Barrington, they do. On Jan. 8, the school district sent an email to families of Barrington students detailing the … more

By Josh Bickford | 1/19/22

Barrington schools veer from state, CDC protocols

Barrington schools will follow some of the new protocols and procedures set by the Rhode Island Department of Health and the CDC, but not all of them. The Rhode Island Department of Education … more

1/9/22

Barrington High School moving to distance learning due to staffing shortage

Principal Joseph Hurley announced that Barrington High School will switch to distance learning starting tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 6. Mr. Hurley sent an email to students’ families on … more

1/5/22

There has been an increased police presence at Barrington High School this week.

Barrington officials respond to school threat, TikTok trend

Rising tensions over threats of school violence yielded a response from Barrington school officials late this week. On Thursday night, Barrington Superintendent of Schools Michael Messore sent … more

12/17/21

This image of a message written inside a girls' bathroom at Barrington High School on Monday, Dec. 13, was being circulated among students at the school.

Police investigating threatening message found at Barrington High School

Barrington Police had a heavy presence at Barrington High School on Monday afternoon, Dec. 13, after a student there found a threatening message written in a girls’ bathroom. The … more

12/13/21

Parent questions Barrington’s mandate, says vaccinated teachers are testing positive

A Barrington resident recently asked school committee members how many fully-vaccinated teachers in Barrington were currently out of school after testing positive for Covid-19. The resident, Kiela … more

By Josh Bickford | 12/10/21

The Barrington High School field hockey team plays its home games on the field that runs along the edge of County Road. A new fields report is proposing eight acres of the BHS athletic fields be covered in artificial turf.

Report includes plan for 8 acres of turf at Barrington High School

A new report focused on athletic fields in Barrington includes wide-ranging recommendations, such as covering a large portion of the high school’s playing fields in artificial turf (but not … more

By Josh Bickford | 11/17/21

Every Student Initiative (ESI) members Charlie Townsend and Anna Conheeny discuss the best way of joining two pieces of material to make a blanket in the basement of St. Barnabas Church on Sunday. ESI has been making and giving away the blankets to children with cancer for the past four years.

In Portsmouth: Coverings of kindness

PORTSMOUTH — Young cancer patients at Hasbro Children’s Hospital will soon be a little warmer at night, thanks to members of Every Student Initiative (ESI). more

By Jim McGaw | 11/16/21

AJ Amaio (left) a senior member of the Portsmouth High School Marching Band, personally thanks Army veteran George Cushman, 90, for his service during a Veterans Day tribute at Thriving Tree Coffee House on Thursday, Nov. 11. Cushman, who regrets having stopped playing piano when he joined the military many years ago, urged band members to always keep playing music throughout their lives.

In Portsmouth: ‘This is one Veterans Day I will never forget’

PORTSMOUTH — George Cushman was pumped up. The 90-year-old Army veteran shook his fist and waved other veterans over to join him in front of the Portsmouth High School Marching Band before … more

By Jim McGaw | 11/12/21

Police: Bag of urine not an act of hostility toward Barrington school official

Barrington Police believe a bag of urine found on the edge of a school committee member’s property late last week was not placed there in an act of hostility. According to police, the school … more

By Josh Bickford | 11/5/21

Portsmouth school employees asked to get vaccinated by Dec. 1

PORTSMOUTH — By Dec. 1, teachers and all other employees of the Portsmouth school district must submit proof of being vaccinated against COVID-19. If they don’t, they will need to … more

By Jim McGaw | 11/2/21

Signs leading up the new speed zone near Kent Heights Elementary School heading north on Pawtucket Avenue.

School zone speed camera warning period in East Providence begins

EAST PROVIDENCE — The 30-warning period following the installation of speed control cameras near schools across the city began this week, the administration of Mayor Bob DaSilva and the East … more

11/2/21

Hathaway School third-grade teacher Ashley Adamson, the 2021 R.I. Teacher of the Year, stands in front of the entrance to the White House during her trip to Washington, D.C. last month.

For Portsmouth teacher, school bell 'comes full circle'

PORTSMOUTH — When she was a little girl, Ashley Adamson wanted to be a teacher so badly that she’d play one at home. She even owned a school bell, as a picture she keeps in her … more

By Jim McGaw | 11/2/21

Barrington School Committee member Megan Douglas raises her hand to an audience member during a heated exchange late in the hearing.

Barrington School Committee votes to fire unvaccinated teachers

The Barrington School Committee moved very close to firing three unvaccinated teachers on Thursday night. In a 3-1 vote, committee members Gina Bae, Erika Sevetson and Megan Douglas called for the … more

By Josh Bickford | 10/29/21