School Improvement Bonds: Why Update CHS Fire Systems?

On Nov. 6's Town of Coventry Election Ballot,residents will have the opportunity to vote on six bond items that will affect the school department, five of which (#9-13) have been reviewed and approved by the RI Department of Education. RIDE will reimburse the Town of Coventry 48.3% on each of these five bond items if approved. (This is a one-time offer that will not be presented again in the future if the items are not approved.)

If approved, Bond Item #10 ($400,000) would provide materials, equipment and labor needed to bring Coventry High School up to the latest fire code regulations. Required work includes Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access, smoke separations and building alarm system upgrades.

$100,000 worth of work was done as part of this project in 2011 and 2012 in order to obtain a waiver from the Rhode Island Fire Code Appeals Board. The waiver is effective until Sept. 2013, but if significant progress is not made or an acceptable plan in place by that time, the high school could be closed for noncompliance. 

Click here to visit the school district's bond information website or see the attached PDF to view the PowerPoint presentation shown to parents and residents at a recent informational meeting.

Here is a brief introduction to all of the requested school bond items.