What was surprising when we looked at this was the number associated with the middle school, which seemed disproportionately high. But then we realized we hadn’t been spending many capital dollars there. This is a very large, one-story sprawling building. A lot of roof area, a lot of wall perimeter.”

Phil Conte of StudioJAED

PORTSMOUTH — The Portsmouth School Department is advancing a long-term plan to address aging school buildings across the district, with the largest share of proposed work focused on Portsmouth Middle School, a 53-year-old facility officials say is in the greatest need of repair and modernization.

The plan, which would eventually go before voters as a bond referendum in November, took an important step on Jan. 27 when the town council unanimously approved the district’s Stage II submission to the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE). The submission seeks eligibility for state reimbursement for approximately $40.3 million in school construction and renovation projects.

While the proposal includes work at all four Portsmouth schools, nearly $29 million — more than two-thirds of the total — is tied to improvements at the middle school, including roof and building envelope repairs, renovations and additions, and site improvements.

“Our buildings are aging, and the educational needs are increasing,” Superintendent Elizabeth Viveiros told the council, emphasizing that the Stage II submission does not authorize borrowing or establish a bond amount.

Instead, the submission is a required step in the state’s school construction process and allows the district to qualify for reimbursement through RIDE’s school housing aid program, which can cover about 35 percent of eligible project costs. Additional approvals would be required before any construction or borrowing could occur.

Middle school stands out

The middle school’s needs stood out during earlier facility assessments conducted as part of Stage I of the RIDE process, which identified approximately $80.5 million in long-term capital needs across the district over 10 years. Of that total, nearly $40 million was associated with Portsmouth Middle School alone.

“What was surprising when we looked at this was the number associated with the middle school, which seemed disproportionately high,” said Phil Conte of StudioJAED, the architectural and engineering firm working with the district. “But then we realized we hadn’t been spending many capital dollars there. This is a very large, one-story sprawling building. A lot of roof area, a lot of wall perimeter,” he said.

The roof, he added, is beyond its useful life. “We want to avoid some of the issues that fell upon us at the high school,” Conte said.

Under the Stage II submission, about $12.7 million at the middle school would go toward roof and building envelope work, $13.3 million toward additions and renovations, and $3 million toward site improvements. The HVAC system would also be overhauled as part of the project.

Beyond basic infrastructure, the plan proposes significant changes to the learning environment inside the building. Conte said many interior spaces are dated and lack natural light, particularly in the eighth-grade wing.

“There are four interior classrooms with no natural light,” he said. The existing layout also includes perimeter classrooms that can only be exited through adjacent classrooms, a design that no longer meets current educational or safety standards.

The proposal would reconfigure those spaces into larger classrooms aligned with RIDE guidelines, along with smaller breakout rooms designed to support group work and students who need additional help.

“These are for students that need additional support, or for a group project,” Conte said. “It offers the greatest amount of flexibility to the educator.”

Corridors at the middle school would gain natural light as part of the roof project, and locker areas would be upgraded, according to the plan.

STUDIOJAED

PHS and elementary schools

The remaining $11.3 million in the Stage II submission covers projects at Portsmouth High School and the district’s two elementary schools.

At the high school, about $9 million in work is proposed, including roof and building envelope repairs, renovations to science labs and career and technical education spaces, lighting and site improvements, restroom renovations, and upgrades to mechanical and electrical systems.

Hathaway Elementary School would be included for about $1.3 million, primarily for site improvements and mechanical and electrical upgrades. Melville Elementary School would seek about $1 million for similar work.

Conte noted that the district has made a series of “warm, safe and dry” improvements in recent years, including air conditioning and air quality upgrades, accessible restrooms, energy-efficient lighting and power systems, and outdoor learning spaces. Even so, he said, the middle school remains the most pressing concern.

Community input has played a role in shaping the priorities. During a public forum held Nov. 5, 2025, residents raised concerns about classroom conditions, windows and the roof at the middle school, as well as interest in improving science labs and career programs at the high school.

The Stage II submission is also time-sensitive. District officials said applications are only accepted by RIDE in February and September, and Portsmouth’s current five-year capital plan expires at the end of the year.

State law requires school districts to invest a minimum of 3 percent of their operating budgets in facilities each year — about $1.5 million annually in Portsmouth — to remain eligible for housing aid.

“You can do any project you want,” Conte said, “but you just simply would not be reimbursed for that project.”

Roof a ‘must-have’

Council President Keith Hamilton acknowledged the scale of the proposal but said the middle school’s condition warrants attention.

“It’s a big number,” Hamilton said, adding that given the building’s age, “the roof is certainly a must-have, and changing the learning environment is, I think, a great idea for our future students at the middle school.”

If RIDE approves the Stage II submission, a decision expected in May, district officials would begin refining the scope, costs and timing of projects ahead of a potential bond referendum this fall. Under the state process, districts are generally expected to complete at least half of the approved projects.

That could mean a minimum of about $20 million in work, officials said, depending on voter approval, funding availability and construction schedules.

The council voted 7-0 to approve the Stage II submission, clearing the way for the district to seek state reimbursement as planning continues.