Superintendent lauds voter approval for new EPHS funding

Sets goal of having all elements in place for summer 2019 project start

By Mike Rego
Posted 11/12/18

EAST PROVIDENCE — In a letter sent to families, staff and residents of the city, Superintendent Kathryn M. Crowley expressed her appreciation for voter approval of Question 4 on the November 6 …

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Superintendent lauds voter approval for new EPHS funding

Sets goal of having all elements in place for summer 2019 project start

Posted

EAST PROVIDENCE — In a letter sent to families, staff and residents of the city, Superintendent Kathryn M. Crowley expressed her appreciation for voter approval of Question 4 on the November 6 ballot to finance construction of a new East Providence High School.

As of the last reported results from the Rhode Island Board of Elections, the measure received 77.6 percent support, authorizing the city to seek $189.5 million in loans to build a replacement for the current 65-year-old high school.

“I’m very excited, very pleased with the result,” Superintendent Crowley said after her letter was released to the public. “I’m especially pleased with the margin by which it won, extremely happy.”

She continued, “I’m very proud of our building committee, members of my administration, the School Committee members, our parents and staff for what they did in getting the word out. They did a great job with the public relations aspects. It was a real community effort.”

On a related note, a state-wide referendum allowing for the procurement of $250 million in bonds to assist in school construction around Rhode Island was also passed by voters last week. In East Providence, specifically, the measure actually received a bit more support, 81%-19%, than the new EPHS question. The superintendent noted as a result of the state-wide question approval, the East Providence High School project could now receive up to 74.4% in reimbursement from the state on eligible costs, rather than 54.4% if Question 1 had not passed. The considered opinion has East Providence getting the 74.4% figure on about $130 million-worth of the new EPHS costs.

Asked for her reaction to the slight discrepancy in the margins between the state and local ballot items, the superintendent said, “I’m just happy the state bond for all school districts in the state passed. I’m really very happy about that.”

With the election completed, the next procedures in the process for the school district are two-fold.

First, Superintendent Crowley and the new EPHS building committee will engage with the Rhode Island Department of Education on Step 3 of the exercise with a goal of having it completed, Mrs. Crowley said, “as soon as possible.”

Step 3 entails providing RIDE with a detailed schematic design of the new EPHS. To do so, the superintendent along with the building committee will continue to engage with the firms hired to oversee the project — Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) Gilbane, Owner’s Project Manager (OPM) Peregrine Group and architects Ai3. In addition, the district must present RIDE with a comprehensive educational plan such as the development of revised curriculum, scheduling and integration of disciplines among other elements.

Second, the district must engage the new mayor’s office, the City Council and RIHEBC (Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corporation) about formally approving the issuance of the $189.5 million in bonds and securing the lending terms of the funds. Former city manager and long-time East Providence resident William Fazioli, of the asset management, advisory and consulting firm PFM, continues to serve the district as its’ bonding agent.

If both of those actions go off without a hitch, then the project could quickly move into the fourth and final stage, Step 4 of the RIDE process or the actual start of construction of the new EPHS. The superintendent said her admittedly ambitious aim is to put shovels in the ground by June of 2019 with the intention of opening in the fall of 2021.

“If all goes well, that’s my goal. It’s a very aggressive goal, I know. We still have a lot of work to do. The amount of work left is incredible,” Superintendent Crowley added. “But that’s what we’re shooting for.”

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MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.