No unexpected news is certainly good news, especially when it continues to very much be the positive kind.

The monthly construction update provided to the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee at its early October 2026 meeting by its project manager was once again full of positive notes about the new Mt. Hope High School build as well as the other improvements being made around the district.

From a financial aspect, the overall spend remains on track to meet the committee's stated aim of $186,281,427 total, according to Nick Hull, presenting on the part of PMA Consultants. To date, $94.6 million has been spent and the district has received $18.4 million in reimbursement via the Rhode Island Department of Education's "pay-go" program.

Overall, all elements of the project are about 50 percent complete, including the upgrades made to the Hugh Cole Elementary and Kickemuit Middle School buildings in Warren. Anticipated improvements to the Colt Andrews and Rockwell Elementary Schools is Bristol remains scheduled for next summer.

The "substantially complete" date for the new MHHS remains May of 2027 with the razing and remediation of the old structure still scheduled to take place by the end of next year.

As for the $10 million contingency fund, some 56% has been used to date. The provision includes the expected cost ($2.54 million) to add and construct a baseball field on the MHHS campus as currently proposed, something the committee has previously shown its intention to do if the monies were available.

"We're in a good spot right now," said Hull.

MHHS update
Interior and exterior construction continues to be done simultaneously on the new MHHS Chestnut Street site in Bristol.

Outside, the building's facade is being installed as are the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) components on the roof while drainage work takes place.

The contrasting colors of the brick facade and the distinguishing metal panels are becoming more clear as the process of enveloping the building, including window installation, moves along. Hull said all of the windows were soon expected to be in place. The interior elements, as well, continue to gain definition while HVAC and painting continue.

There have been minimal change orders required on the high school build, just 7% of the construction has had any alterations, Hull said.


The committee took a site tour prior to its meeting. After viewing the building, member Jessica Almeida asked if there was a plan to install any type of shading in the library/media center. Although natural light is ample and appreciated, Almeida wondered if blinds or tinted windows would be warranted. Hull did not have any answer readily available.

Almeida also asked about the apparent lack of lockers planned to be installed. Hull said current trends show students don't utilize them in the ways they did in the past, but there will be a number of "banks" for them to store their items around the building.

"The kids aren't really using the lockers every day, so we didn't set them up," Hull explained, adding more new high school construction doesn't include as many student areas as was previously the case.

New baseball diamond
Committee member Glenn Donovan asked for some clarification on the timeline required for the baseball field to be included in the project. Hull opined, "I would say the sooner, the better for that one." Committee Chairman Adam McGovern said the intent is to put the item before the committee by the end of the year.

McGovern continued, noting the majority of the baseball field would be built where the existing high school is situated, meaning construction can't take place until it is torn down. And as it remains as a contingency, it does provide the committee with some flexibility.

"I think because in order to get that lined up in the schedule, which, again, fortunately for us, is at the end of the job, not even the end of construction, but the end of demolition, that's certainly in our favor from a schedule standpoint," McGovern added. "I think that's why we've held it off at this point. Right now, probably the biggest risks would be still in the tear down (of the old MHHS)."

Hull did remind the committee the process of ordering and purchasing all of the necessary supplies for the field and to get it on the construction agenda would likely have to take place no later than sometime early next calendar year.

"We just need to keep in mind (the contractor's) schedule, too," Hull explained. "They need to prepare all the materials for the baseball field. So if you push them too long, they're going to start saying, 'Oh, now we need to be here through June 2028.' So we don't want to prolong their schedule any longer because then you get general conditions, general requirements added on to that fee that's already in there. Because if they have to demobilize and then come back, that's what our concern is."

Warren buildings
Committee member Nicky Piper, one of the three Warren representatives on the board, asked about issues with leaks in the Hugh Cole building roof. Hull said those matters have been resolved, though some interior fixes were necessary due to the damage in the new administrative office portion of the structure.

Hull explained the reason for the problem was the contractors "had a temporary roof tied into the new roof, and it just didn't hold up for the rain that they got. So it's unfortunate, but stuff like that happens when you're trying to do a roof."

Almeida, similarly, inquired if the roof work being down at KMS, had been finished. Hull said the actual new roofing is completed, but the protective parapet is yet to be fully installed.

Said Hull, "The parapet hasn't been done yet, the edge detail. And then we're just going back and forth with the roofer on what was actually installed versus what was supposed to be installed for the contract drawings. So we're still working through that. But the actual roof is done. The whole new roof, other than the gym, is done."