EAST PROVIDENCE — Students in the East Providence High School Career and Tech Center, with emphasis on the Culinary Arts curriculum, will likely soon have access to their very own food truck courtesy of a state program.

Superintendent Sandra Forand made the announcement at the Tuesday, Dec, 13, School Committee meeting.

During her report, the superintendent said the Rhode Island Department of Education, pending approval of the State Board of Education at its January 2023 meeting, plans to provide 10 districts, including East Providence, with a customized food truck.

She added the trucks, which will be made to order inside and out according to the specifications derived from each district, are estimated to cost $150,000 apiece.

(Updated, Monday, Dec. 19, 10:30 a.m.) After viewing the story online, a representative from RIDE contacted The Post to clarify the number of districts involved is actually 13 and trucks are priced at $125,000.

In addition, RIDE is seeking approval from the Council on Elementary and Secondary Education for the project at the body's meeting Tuesday, Dec. 20.

Forand said among the initial concepts being considered by the EPCTC Culinary Department would be to have its food truck based of gourmet varieties of grilled cheese sandwiches, but nothing has been finalized.

The superintendent said Culinary, through the district, had already been looking into the possibility of purchasing a food truck for use by students.

Now that it is likely to become a reality courtesy of the state, Forand said it’s a chance to create learning opportunities not only for aspiring chefs, but also for the CTC’s Automotive Department, which will maintain the vehicle, as well as those students who plan on pursuing a career in Marketing and/or other related disciplines.

The superintendent anticipates the truck, which would likely be delivered sometime before the start of the 2023-24 term, to become a fixture at events throughout the district and city as well as others like at Waterfire in Providence. It will also be used for competitions between high school age Culinary programs around the state.

Forand said the truck might be available as a concession stand for high school sporting competitions and other outdoor events on campus as well as Kindergarten and Fifth Grade Celebrations at the end of each term.

The Board of Ed is expected to approve the approximately $1.5 million allocation and RIDE is then likely to initiate a Request for Proposal (RFP) from prospective companies to bid on building all 10 of the trucks.

Virtual instruction
If necessary due to inclement weather this winter, RIDE has approved East Providence’s plan to conduct classes virtually on a limited basis over the next few months.

Director of Teaching & Learning Lindsey Reilly provided the committee with an update on the situation during her report last week. RIDE has given the Forand, as superintendent, the option of cancelling in-person instruction in favor of virtual instruction for as many as five days due to inclement weather or another emergency situation.

Reilly had previously this fall informed the committee the administration was likely to submit a proposal to the state to conduct classes on-line if necessary during the winter. The district had until the First of December to provide RIDE with its virtual plans and procedures from all grades, K-12.

January 2 day off
Forand requested and the committee approved a change to the upcoming school calendar, which will now see the district observe January 2 as the official New Year’s holiday because January 1 falls on a Sunday this year.

The superintendent noted East Providence was the lone district in the state that had students returning to school on the Monday after the holiday break instead of Tuesday, Jan. 3.

Due to the change, the last day of the 2022-23 term also needed to be altered to account for a 180th day.

Instead of ending on Friday, June 16, the last day of classes will be Tuesday, June 20. Monday, June 19, is now a nationally recognized holiday, “Juneteenth,” which will be in its third year as a means of commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans on June 19, 1865.

June 20 will be a half-day for students, but a full-day for staff.