December 17, 2021
On Thursday, December 16, 2021, the Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education unanimously approved Portsmouth’s Stage II application for reimbursement on school building improvement projects. This was the final step in the approval process, which enables the school department to move forward with health and safety investments in all four school buildings.
On Wednesday, November 16, 2021, the Rhode Island Board of Elections officially certified the results of the special election that included the school facilities bond referendum. The official results affirm that voters approved the referendum by a significant margin: 2,391 residents (63%) voted YES, and 1,414 residents (37%) voted NO. Question 1 on the ballot asked Portsmouth residents to approve a bond referendum for $21.44 million to finance health and safety improvements in school buildings.
“The School Committee and I are grateful to everyone in Portsmouth who took the time to cast a vote on this important referendum, and we are fortunate that the State has agreed to cover a significant portion of the costs,” said Superintendent Tom Kenworthy. “These critical facilities projects will enhance health and safety in all four school buildings – including improved accessibility, indoor air quality, traffic safety, and more – to protect our students and staff.”
Read more about the school facilities bond here.