The first preliminary rendering and more detailed architectural models of the proposed new Mt. Hope High School was shown to the full Bristol Warren School Committee during their meeting on Monday night.

Consultants from Perkins Eastman walked through the initial design concept for the school, which includes a three-story academic wing and an abundance of dedicated career and technical education (CTE) classrooms. A public forum to further discuss the design elements and financial implications of the project is to be scheduled during the next meeting of the school building committee on Thursday, Sept. 7.

The district faces two important deadlines — a Sept. 15 deadline to submit its Stage 2 project application to RIDE; and a deadline to submit its bond referendum that would be decided upon by voters to finance the project to the Rhode Island Board of Elections by Monday, Sept. 18.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the School Committee voted to release the following statement regarding the school construction project:

“As the communities of Bristol and Warren move toward important deadlines in our proposed school construction projects, we (the members of the Bristol Warren Regional School Committee) want to make sure taxpayers have all the information necessary to make an informed decision about this work. We enjoyed this summer’s numerous community events and all the conversations we’ve had with many residents of Bristol and Warren. As the design phase nears, we want to clarify some facts about this ‘Necessity of School Construction’ program:

WHY NOW: The Statewide School Construction Bond makes available $250 million in upfront state funding in an initiative to create 21st century learning environments across Rhode Island. The BWRSD is eligible for a guaranteed 63%, but potential for a remarkable 83% reimbursement of construction costs from the state of Rhode Island. RIDE is incentivizing districts with additional reimbursement bonuses of up to 20% upfront funding to reduce a district’s total bond amount and reimburse interest on district construction bonds. The deadline for submission to the state is Sept. 15 and voters will decide on the bond in the November special election. All projects must be completed within 5 years from approval.

THE PLAN: After careful consideration, the School Committee has decided to build a brand new high school on a dry site next to the existing school. Our current high school, originally built on a section of wetlands in the 1960s, is in significant need of repair. We had three options: repair, renovate or build a brand-new school. Of the three options, the option to build a new school came with the shortest schedule, the least amount of impact to ongoing classes, and with the least amount of financial risk. In addition to building a new high school, the district will make meaningful improvements to all schools across both towns. These improvements will ensure that all of our children continue to have warm, safe and dry schools that align with initiatives to support our educational goals.

WHO: While responsibility for this project is assumed by the School Committee and the Joint Finance Committee, we have been working alongside the School Building Committee, made up of school committee members, school administration, town leaders and council members from both towns, along with the support and guidance of other building officials, town planners and community members from Bristol and Warren. We understand the critical importance of this project and we want to make sure of the absolute best outcome. Working with stakeholders across both towns will help us design the right space in an efficient way.

WHERE: The centrally located 43-acre site of the existing high school was determined to be the best choice for the new high school. Everyone involved in the project is acutely aware of current site conditions, and especially the wetlands. We are working with consultants, engineers and local and state officials to ensure a smart re-design of the full campus with a school on high and dry ground. The wetlands will be incorporated into the campus as a resource and outdoor learning environment. We looked at over 20 town-owned sites across both Bristol and Warren as possibilities for a new high school site. We understand the financial impact of a large taxpayer funded bond and we are very focused on the cost of the total project. It is important to note that any land purchase for a new site would be the sole financial responsibility of the district without any reimbursement from the state.

HOW: We have hired an owner’s project manager (OPM) and an architect with a record of working together and individually on award winning, 21st-century K-12 schools across New England, on time and on budget. That is our goal and we are confident they will help us achieve that. We will build a high school with purpose, focused on school safety, sustainability and long term, financially smart energy usage. In addition to a modern education space, we want to build state of the art facilities for Career & Technical Education, the visual and performing arts, and athletics. This building will be thoughtfully designed to align with the long-term educational goals of the district and reflect the needs and cultures of our communities. The high school will not only be a critical part of our children’s education, but also a resource for the towns of Bristol and Warren.

What next?
We understand concern about a large taxpayer-funded project with financial impact to both of our towns. We want you to be involved! We want everyone to know that the vote for a bond with the potential to change the community for generations is on Nov. 7. We have been communicating with community members at various events since June and we intend to continue to do so until the election.

If you know of an event we can attend or a group that would like to hear from us, please email BristolWarren@pmaconsultants.com. You can tour Mt. Hope High School this September to view current conditions. We want you to meet the people involved in this process, see the proposed design and ask questions. You can track our progress, plans, and the overall process with the state on our website. And after we submit our proposal to the state on Sept. 15, we will be able to provide information on the specific financial impact to each taxpayer, and confirm the expectations for state reimbursement.

Community input is essential to this process and we encourage you to get involved and stay informed!”

Signed,
The Bristol Warren Regional School Committee

Editor’s note: School Committee member Marjorie McBride voiced opposition to the letter and requested that it be publicly known she did not endorse the above statement.