[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6620715,"mediaKeyId","2804453-81fb296ba04a40175843addb1bd2d9c5","parentId",2804453,"title","Votes at a glance: Coventry School Committee approves calendar, student-transportation resolution, handbook and technology policies (7-0 votes)","audioSeconds",344,"startMs",4444000,"endMs",4788000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2804453-81fb296ba04a40175843addb1bd2d9c5&start=4444&end=4788","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2804453-81fb296ba04a40175843addb1bd2d9c5/thumbnail_4444000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6620715/Coventry/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Votes-at-a-glance-Coventry-School-Committee-approves-calendar-student-transportation-resolution-handbook-and-technology-policies-7-0-votes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620715-20389b7dfe677697cbc4614b4f397daa/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186789&Signature=JaUzj56L0QW74FqL3iabxSkmixSVr3SorufDd1qDtVYKKJSnTVRJ3lCvFhwfLVBMpbrMwpzfRZjArqaE2DQYlq-L3YLqHEKWb-N4171NMb2p5ZI9smL1vujSnTyh0RCxpTTD4uHR0BKhy-mh0L5BlXNL8zCVUFNsvtsk4-wFTBThcMLZWD3I9XvAuxoJXQIGmUwYsYbG9xEO-iAlZJYu-uOoSskkPqQ027E0-v7UuHIedfBQxkHCRn88~OQiMrCQzvsTLD8OCfASFbJPhxVKysIuws4lo3rJE4brQ~9z3egroNMJ~kao7cPLJ~3Xi79mtzJkxd3lcBWZeXZspdh-lg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Coventry RI Public Schools","date","2025-03-28T00:38:34.39Z","article","At its meeting the Coventry School Committee recorded a series of unanimous votes on routine and policy items. The committee approved the 2025–26 school calendar, adopted a student-transportation resolution seeking state legislative changes, revised student handbooks to update Title IX language, and approved three digital/technology policies. The committee also approved minutes, sealed certain executive-session records and scheduled the next meeting for April 10, 2025 at the Coventry Schools Administration Office.

Votes and outcomes (all recorded as 7–0 unless noted):

- 2025–26 school calendar: Motion to approve the 2025–26 school calendar for first reading; motion carried 7 to 0. The calendar includes a staggered opening using a transitional first day for sixth- and ninth-graders and starts the December vacation on Monday, December 22 (district explanation focused on collective bargaining and alignment with neighboring districts).

- Student transportation resolution: Motion to approve the student transportation resolution supporting proposed state legislation (House Bill 5420 and Senate Bill 636 to increase allowable pupil passenger limit to 10; Senate Bill 397 to reduce bus driver certification training for CDL holders and allow temporary licenses for out-of-state drivers). Motion carried 7 to 0. The resolution asks the Rhode Island General Assembly to enact the bills to increase the allowable passenger limit to 10 and address training and licensing to ease driver shortages.

- Student handbook revisions (Title IX): Motion to revert Title IX handbook language from the 2024 regulation text back to the 2020 version in the elementary, middle and high school handbooks; motion carried 7 to 0. District staff said preschool and athletics handbooks already used prior language and that the change aligns handbook text with current federal regulatory guidance.

- Technology policies (second readings; each passed 7 to 0): Digital Technology Acceptable Use and Internet Safety (policy GBEE), Artificial Intelligence policy (JICJA), and Cybersecurity policy (EHAC). Committee members discussed AI briefly in the context of student work and confirmed the student site presented earlier is hosted on district Google accounts and subject to district network protections.

Other procedural votes recorded at the meeting:

- Motion to approve the minutes of March 13, 2025 as presented; carried 7 to 0.

- Motion to seal executive session records (pursuant to cited statutory sections); motion made and seconded; committee approved (recorded as carried).

- Motion to schedule the next meeting for April 10, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. at the Coventry Schools Administration Office; carried 7 to 0.

- Motion to adjourn at 7:44 p.m.; carried.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3/27/2025 School Committee Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Coventry School Committee recorded unanimous votes on the 2025–26 school calendar, a student transportation resolution, student handbook revisions (Title IX language), and three technology policies on April 3. The committee also approved minutes and scheduled the next meeting.","taxTitle","Coventry, School Districts, Rhode Island","taxId",57886,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6620720,"Superintendent reports progress on high school sprinkler plan; StudioJADE and Jensen Hughes contracted for design work",166,3180000,3346000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2804453-81fb296ba04a40175843addb1bd2d9c5&start=3180&end=3346","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2804453-81fb296ba04a40175843addb1bd2d9c5/thumbnail_3180000.jpg","/articles/6620720/Coventry/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Superintendent-reports-progress-on-high-school-sprinkler-plan-StudioJADE-and-Jensen-Hughes-contracted-for-design-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620720-e350974dcc1f689c253b5764e7279537/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186789&Signature=GJ85HLboytAK9nRELgV0zBJDkTHCf2e59lRrtgkcKhX-bc~hq6MBVQatXSieUQFLzlSCv55yzrhlVMIT66iVTvRU8WZ0vh4eNtKPEC4CcP1ae-CqWUCskFd-16oICGnBCBxwWvV3aiQbMyVtc2zhqkfzLsSj2k6MKid4TdsVWb9-xVbjL8VgL7SPW-m1rqygv4qMn7RKONnVWgH8E5c3s-Zcngd4Kn~Jjb1jZ4WjipNDwpe4nTEUMvLpuDfyuoQUToTkhEtT9J3pvtnjCh6b464xgqAegNYGGg-ht4QRA7IkdO1VXWeoKmMua5AG3siRAK5G--3eTPczK82lTuNyFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Superintendent Cowart updated the Coventry School Committee on efforts to address fire suppression and other high-priority building projects.

Cowart said district leaders met with the state fire marshal's office, the division of investigations and the division of inspections and worked with town legal counsel to develop a consent order that gives the district time to complete required sprinkler and suppression work without monthly extension requests. He said the consent order moved the matter out of the investigations office for the time being and clarified what remains to be completed after re-walking building spaces with the inspections office.

Cowart reported StudioJADE, the architect engaged by the town, has subcontracted Jensen Hughes to measure spaces and produce engineering plans. He said the town council voted to approve a $302,000 design proposal that will pay for the engineering work; the $302,000 covers design and scoping work and is part of the broader bond-funded project budget. Once design work is complete, the district intends to issue an RFP for installation and construction; Cowart said the bond needs to be released before construction funds are available.

Cowart said some work could occur during the summer and on second shift during the school year to allow construction while students are in class. He outlined other high-priority projects the district anticipates addressing once bonding proceeds: the high school sprinkler system, the well at Western, the roof at Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School and the high school gym and bleachers.

Committee members asked about upfront payments and the superintendent said there is no money due immediately to Jensen Hughes; the $302,000 proposal must be approved so the design firm can proceed and be paid from bond proceeds or interim town funding prior to final bond close. The building committee will resume meetings after a long pause caused in part by audit delays; Cowart said the committee will post agendas and recordings as usual and that committee representatives on the building committee are James Pearson and Anna Isabel Dos Reycouto.","Superintendent Cowart said the district met with the state fire marshal, reached a consent order to allow time to complete fire suppression work at Coventry High School, and reported the town council approved a $302,000 design proposal to allow engineering and RFP development.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6620724,"Auditor reports unmodified opinion on Coventry’s 2023 financial statements, flags municipal deficit provision",217,3266000,3483000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2804453-81fb296ba04a40175843addb1bd2d9c5&start=3266&end=3483","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2804453-81fb296ba04a40175843addb1bd2d9c5/thumbnail_3266000.jpg","/articles/6620724/Coventry/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Auditor-reports-unmodified-opinion-on-Coventrys-2023-financial-statements-flags-municipal-deficit-provision","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620724-7ce56e67e1759e5fa3402291f1d63704/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186789&Signature=U6hlA8WK~lYmXCDjMzr~ehIdLFuH4FDFE2t45UHsExgGi0z~ruMZSvaEnpvl2p1sN1IwUMDZhX8CQJ7S~wJ94vEvn9XkpPC0PKKouQ6kWhIKLIMMqWCPFJ6oEC~TWpV49v3PdolkZaZ9llCkmP3GzwbhSZ9N-zqj7DQpirSCe0DDMv~Al0JnBvuM4KY7qS0NIsOKexhv441-R6IgcB0MCFZOzajPONScJz8efIkd-m9iyuUxjcNtq45uUHhKBcUAAizDnnHHpBtiILo3oS7LB4rYwGXO9h78hakJ0wrsvfHwKr9tlOgZ1mtMW12NY-CwljrxDz0arDuGcKUXBAGFug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Steven Gross of CLA presented the fiscal year 2023 audit to the Coventry School Committee and answered members' questions about findings, deficits and next steps.

Gross told the committee CLA issued an unmodified opinion on the basic financial statements for the town and school — commonly described as a \"clean\" opinion. He also summarized a compliance finding: the Coventry schools were noted in relation to Rhode Island Law section 45-12-22.1 concerning municipal deficits. \"...you're in violation with, Rhode Island Law section 45-12-22.1 relating to municipal deficits,\" Gross said.

Gross reviewed key financial highlights from the audited statements. He said revenues came in about $837,000 higher than budgeted for the school department, while expenditures exceeded budget by about $1.2 million, producing a budgetary deficit versus plan. He also noted a $285,000 deficit in transfers to other funds, which often reflects negative fund balances in special revenue grants and other internal funds.

The auditor summarized long-term liabilities: a single-employer pension plan identified as the CT ASRP fund has roughly a $17 million liability at about 48.54% funding; the state's teacher retirement plan showed a Coventry share of about $54 million; a teacher survivor-benefit fund appeared as a net pension asset of about $12.3 million; and the combined town/school OPEB liability was about $15.9 million. Gross emphasized actuarial valuations mean those amounts can fluctuate.

Gross also reported there was a delay in audit issuance caused by staffing turnover at both the town and school; CLA issued a management advisory letter with recommendations for internal control improvements. The committee chair and superintendent noted the school administration can respond to recommendations and that some items may already have been addressed since the 2023 reporting year.

Committee members asked how deficiencies are categorized; Gross described material weaknesses, significant deficiencies and management advisory findings and said most of Coventry's recommendations were included in the management advisory letter. The committee received the presentation and thanked Gross for attending; no vote on the audit itself was recorded at the meeting.","CLA auditor told the Coventry School Committee the 2023 audit received an unmodified (\"clean\") opinion but noted a violation of Rhode Island Law 45-12-22.1 on municipal deficits and highlighted pension and OPEB liabilities.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6620729,"Eighth-grader Marcus Furtado presents 'Make the Grade' academic website to Coventry School Committee",1448,1681000,3129000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2804453-81fb296ba04a40175843addb1bd2d9c5&start=1681&end=3129","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2804453-81fb296ba04a40175843addb1bd2d9c5/thumbnail_1681000.jpg","/articles/6620729/Coventry/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Eighth-grader-Marcus-Furtado-presents-Make-the-Grade-academic-website-to-Coventry-School-Committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6620729-1c5b5e1357c2c6292ba6c5799a72f1b2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771186789&Signature=c4nu4E9F~npj6hBf6rjq0-il2dBTLqFOq314AWmLV9J8mpwvrlYPi9aGZnvdfhqfG2hZhq7MecrsS0IUWxKvoHBuC0aOv46QHd3qmGgvpFagroVi2HyEdZWbRmWenr~yWwh5OrSrvPB2H97UlTzvVkmuHsLq7b84nm7eZYTgFIBuA~1FNYzJnTchRiz1ZTZQJ4YSVrCHCLaAmPDtghl2fmMt0DYHlMf6CTediW4e6Nz1X3fvpDt0j1ssIBJfdDT~bS-BCAEeZl~D4mAw-Y-A55baGF6eAKt-Ua2p-huk8Rie0d1iZ9eqQ6aprCC3ybp9Px4G469NZtRm6RqqcMuhJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Marcus Furtado, an eighth grader at Coventry Middle School, presented Make the Grade, a student-created academic website, to the Coventry School Committee during its meeting.

Make the Grade is a Google Site Marcus said he built over winter break to provide study guides, step-by-step explanations and practice problems for subjects including algebra, English language arts, discovery science, social studies and world languages. \"Today, I'll be presenting my website, Make the Grade, which is an academic website specifically made for eighth grade for all students no matter what class you're in,\" Marcus said. He told the committee the site is free for students and that content is created by him and a team of student editors.

Superintendent Cowart introduced Marcus and said the district had invited him after seeing a classroom presentation. Principal Lucien and teacher Jennifer Kilduff joined Marcus at the committee meeting. Kilduff described the work as student-driven and praised the group: \"These boys and girls have done this all on their own, all on their own time, and they are brilliant and amazing,\" she said.

Students on the presentation team explained their roles. Ethan Riley said he manages the Spanish tab and described the peer-to-peer support value: \"...that friend to friend, peer to peer, that can be very valuable to a student's learning and giving a fair education,\" he said. Tommy Moore described his role as checking and adding materials to the site. Marcus said the team beta-tested the site with about 10 students before wider rollout and that one student reported moving from a C-minus to an A-plus after using resources from the site.

Committee members and staff responded with praise and asked about continuity and expansion. Member Cody Rydell told Marcus and his teammates, \"This is incredible... you should be proud of yourself.\" Members asked whether Marcus planned to maintain a similar site for future grades; Marcus said he would keep the current site available for eighth graders and start a new site when he reaches ninth grade.

Committee members discussed succession and expansion so the site could persist after current students move on; several members suggested mentoring younger students to continue the project. The committee did not take formal action related to the site at the meeting.

Marcus said the site is built using the Coventry Schools Google account; district staff noted this means the site is within the district's online security protections. Marcus also mentioned merchandise and outreach efforts; he said outreach to a local company was \"in progress\" but not confirmed.

The committee thanked Marcus and his team for the presentation and invited them to remain for the remainder of the meeting.","Eighth-grader Marcus Furtado and teammates described Make the Grade, a student-run Google Sites academic resource for Coventry Middle School students; committee members and staff praised the project and its potential to support peers.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Coventry School Committee approves calendar, student-transportation resolution, handbook and technology policies (7-0 votes)

Superintendent reports progress on high school sprinkler plan; StudioJADE and Jensen Hughes contracted for design work

Auditor reports unmodified opinion on Coventry’s 2023 financial statements, flags municipal deficit provision

Eighth-grader Marcus Furtado presents 'Make the Grade' academic website to Coventry School Committee