District to sever ties with Prudence Island schoolhouse

Building expected to revert to Audubon, then back to private foundation

By Jim McGaw
Posted 5/15/19

PORTSMOUTH — We now know the Prudence Island School will remain open for the foreseeable future, but the School Committee still has some housekeeping to do.

The building was used for …

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District to sever ties with Prudence Island schoolhouse

Building expected to revert to Audubon, then back to private foundation

Posted

PORTSMOUTH — We now know the Prudence Island School will remain open for the foreseeable future, but the School Committee still has some housekeeping to do.

The building was used for years as a Portsmouth public school until 2007. In 2009, the School Committee entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the private Prudence Island School Foundation (PISF), in which the district agreed to rent the building to PISF for $1 a year.

The current committee, however, concerned about the state of the building, decided last year “it was time to take another look at that agreement,” said Committee Chairwoman Emily Copeland. The committee sought a new agreement and held three meetings between the PISF and town officials.

During the process, according to committee attorney Mary Ann Carroll, the district learned that the R.I. Department of Education (RIDE) took the Prudence Island School off its school rolls several years ago. In a 2017 RIDE review of school buildings, the island school was not even included, said Ms. Carroll, noting that major, expensive renovations would have to be made on the building to bring it up to code for a public school building.

Audubon connection

But a possible solution for all involved is embedded in the original property deed. 

Ms. Carroll said when a large parcel of property around the schoolhouse was donated to the Audubon Society many years ago, the building was set aside for educational purposes. Under the terms of the deed, however, the building reverts back to the Audubon if it’s no longer used as a school, she said. Since the building is not considered a “school” as defined under RIDE’s parameters, it must go back to the Audubon, the committee agreed. 

The Audubon, in turn, has agreed to turn the building back over to the PISF, according to Allan Bearse, the foundation’s chairman. He said Audubon will probably deed the building to the foundation the day after the School Committee transfers the property.

Ms. Bearse said he disagreed that the building could never be opened as a public school again, although he acknowledged “it would cost a lot of money” to make that happen.

“That is a wonderful building,” he said.

Ms. Copeland indicated that with the Audubon connection, the school may be able to attract grants for building improvements. 

On Ms. Carroll’s recommendation, the committee unanimously voted it will no longer support the use of the schoolhouse for educational purposes when the current academic year ends. The committee will also notify Audubon that the district’s insurance on the building ends June 30.

Ms. Carroll said the committee needs to be protected “so there will be no future liability for the Portsmouth School Department.”

Tuesday’s discussion concerned only the building itself, not the educational aspects of the school, said Ms. Copeland, noting the district is still invested in the education of island students. 

“(We’re) committed to partnering with Prudence Island families,” she said.

Prudence Island School Foundation, Portsmouth School Committee, Prudence Island School, Prudence Island

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Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.