[{"_1":2,"_120":-5,"_121":-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",[32,74,84,96,108],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",5973895,"mediaKeyId","5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1","parentId",5829793,"title","Superintendent announces retirements, hires and mini-grant awards; committee approves Chartwells bill","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",107000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1&start=107&end=107","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1/thumbnail_107000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5973895/Cumberland/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Superintendent-announces-retirements-hires-and-mini-grant-awards-committee-approves-Chartwells-bill","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973895-987aab804dd2ab77d7da66be218bafe2/orig.mp4?Expires=1776552629&Signature=ThLQyGQh3HvGLQ-blK-22xy4RftO4zzJ60hKoB98icoVKtPyuTqe9SSOUlS56Pv9smh3e3lQFyYT2gmx0bjzYhVOdjrl8sVy9cViJr68e0r16b2y5gqHUFLKImWO1FKj2MBaJ~6jNGEFtQdOWCDmLCldz1cypH6WWOxDy4ZHDSzo~EWYWwVy0ziRhTkOXj5jW7FNYdirgp9ZyUi2POEWaYi93dEsvdpQHIIWn1hp3ZF1qJ1VzqsDBJFG2b-c-cLfChMVzm28naylIFX~YQ-JW69DqOVUnEr0YE4lYbXIEYeWYtADLb6mj5SmU-hWgnFa9RprI1yEt~LTF0zoV5uszQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Cumberland","date","2025-09-25T23:14:22Z","article","Superintendent Dr. Thornton on Sept. 25 reported personnel changes, recognized a long-serving teaching assistant, announced several mini-grant awards, previewed upcoming health clinics and ribbon cuttings, and the School Committee approved the monthly Chartwells invoice for August.
Personnel items posted for the meeting included two recent resignations: Michelle Blanding, paraprofessional (effective Sept. 18), and Deborah Rice, ELA Essentials at McCourt (effective Sept. 19). The committee approved three appointments: Jennifer Vincent, Library Media STEM (0.5) at BF Norton (effective Aug. 29, one year only); Stephanie Vinge, math interventionist at Community (effective Sept. 29, one year only); and Nicole Cabral, paraprofessional, ICAN at McCourt (effective Sept. 22). Dr. Thornton also presented a retirement recognition for Manuela “Manny” Silver, a teaching assistant who began district service in Feb. 2008 and worked at North Koma Middle School since 2015; Administrator Coughlin said “she’s always smiling” and the committee thanked her for her service.
Dr. Thornton announced two Alpha Delta Kappa mini-grant awards: a schoolwide PBIS grant for the Garvin team to purchase inflatable incentives and strobe lights to support positive behavior, and a grade-2 grant at Ashton (teacher Lauren Durante) to purchase garden beds for outdoor science lessons. District staff present included Leah Hogan and Aaron O’Claire from the Garvin team, who were recognized in open session.
Public-health and facility announcements included a district flu clinic scheduled Oct. 8 from 4 to 7 p.m. and ribbon-cutting events: a new preschool center on Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. and Community School final renovation on Oct. 15 at 5 p.m.; Ashton’s new playground also opened recently.
On routine business, the committee approved payment of bills, including the Chartwells invoice for August in the amount of $70,046.82; the fiscal subcommittee reviewed the bill and recommended its passage (vote 2–0 in subcommittee), and the full committee approved the payment 6–0.
The committee also approved homeschool instruction requests for the 2025–26 school year and a set of resolutions previously reviewed by the fiscal subcommittee; one resolution was tabled for lack of full information.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Cumberland School Committee 9/25/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Superintendent Dr. Thornton reported staff resignations and appointments, recognized a long-serving teaching assistant retiring, announced mini-grant awards for PBIS and a school garden, previewed flu clinics and ribbon cuttings, and the committee approved payment to Chartwells for $70,046.82.","taxTitle","Cumberland, School Districts, Rhode Island","taxId",73254,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":42,"_43":77,"_45":77,"_46":78,"_48":79,"_50":80,"_52":81,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":82,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":83,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},5973900,"Committee delays vote on foster-grandparent/Volunteer MOU with AmeriCorps; requests local representative",1432000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1&start=1432&end=1432","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1/thumbnail_1432000.jpg","/articles/5973900/Cumberland/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Committee-delays-vote-on-foster-grandparentVolunteer-MOU-with-AmeriCorps-requests-local-representative","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973900-cbdde5564dcbfd64e928849e1830be5d/orig.mp4?Expires=1776552629&Signature=knsUE-CYf4HNxWk84AcQg9O-k2f2nmsseJnkiASJonmX59wtrQ5xZ-U~YVWySgRJEYcvWmdaBeLpaGnViZ~9oDVS-ZmNe4m8gBSafdmZ0YXC~AhtTx-sLZpuBlPPfuojwUn-M12bTCSHWUoWTQOHOAd6Btv4jepRO029cjZLif8r9TBlYqJ9yFDcUaZm2NtYJMbRU~BgzxYskNr5hwUV6EhG~RTh1nlRzjfL8nPrNM0YQAguMpON0pS42HzRSJGEtXMu9OufjglBuoCKARGXf3XTlkYZGXViiaN6ovqUT01hFIMUu6zMB16OtTqlRM222bChDM-mp3IhOpZfo7mPcA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cumberland School Committee on Sept. 25 discussed a memorandum of agreement to host a foster-grandparent program run by an AmeriCorps-affiliated organization to place volunteers at Ashton Elementary and voted to table the item so a program representative can attend a future meeting.
Assistant/Attorney Mr. Adams and district staff said the agreement would bring volunteers to Ashton at no cost to the district; the organization would conduct background checks (BCI/fingerprints) and volunteers would not be left alone with students nor perform instruction. Committee members asked whether the senior center could partner locally instead of bringing volunteers from West Warwick and whether the program could be spread to other elementary schools rather than a single-site pilot at Ashton.
Several committee members said they had not received prior notice of the item; members requested a representative from the sponsoring organization, and suggested staff arrange an appearance so committee members can ask about the volunteer recruitment, numbers, supervision, and exit clauses in the agreement. Teacher Elizabeth (last name in the meeting record) and a volunteer described positive past experience with foster-grandparent volunteers who read to students, ate with students and provided additional adult support in classrooms.
Committee member Abbott said she would not vote in favor without the sponsor present to explain the request. Committee members agreed to table the MOU to the next meeting and asked staff to invite a program representative and provide details about liability, numbers of volunteers, and whether the senior center might be an alternate local source of volunteers.
No vote to approve the agreement was recorded at the Sept. 25 meeting.","The committee discussed a memorandum of agreement to host a foster-grandparent program (AmeriCorps) at Ashton Elementary but agreed to table a vote until a program representative can appear to answer questions about scope, liability and local coordination.",{"_33":85,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":86,"_41":87,"_43":88,"_45":89,"_46":90,"_48":91,"_50":92,"_52":93,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":94,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":95,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},5973906,"School committee tables vote on 2025–26 bus routes to allow follow-up and adjustments",332,892000,1224000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1&start=892&end=1224","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1/thumbnail_892000.jpg","/articles/5973906/Cumberland/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/School-committee-tables-vote-on-202526-bus-routes-to-allow-follow-up-and-adjustments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973906-f2a1a13f9e34580786a8ac089f05735c/orig.mp4?Expires=1776552629&Signature=O2fFFh7doNog3YW0TJgz187YjjfM1fE-G9P7q09MaYoRNZNL3-nbnZO16BxbrJcDRorophaTb7u~~OJBtv4eFmWvmzcqAB6KfjgGmD639-gHa3DFaO9nrQjRD7fh6uoA-gl97O6ySaoc3rEXs4oeB-t-uawTQhQLYHTMlqehRN~eRsTlNvXAyf1Qo4kZv67R1tRqU9CzQrWdd8nCYG9THs7CTLB48HK-IvWnGDwg9FX2iXtvnU7UZBjCbRRyAn~ezahyzT2LgSkGAESTMeGmMChsxhyhX-Zf9cnPPXOu8gvsucyWnlB~U38yR0AtLLrX6oAJck8uHw0RUXzZ05Futw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cumberland School Committee on Sept. 25 postponed a vote on the 2025–26 bus routes to allow administrators to gather additional details about walkability, clustered stops and potential route impacts.
Committee member Smith asked for clarification about the district’s practice of waiting until late September to make route adjustments for students who change from walkers to bus riders. Superintendent Dr. Thornton confirmed the district typically waits until Sept. 29 to collect early data and make route tweaks.
Committee members raised specific concerns about several route clusters for North middle schools, including stops on Abbott Run Valley, Tower Hill and Pound Road. A member asked whether adjacent addresses could be consolidated into one clustered stop to reduce the number of individual household stops; transportation staff were not present to provide immediate route-mapping decisions but the superintendent said staff would follow up.
Committee members also flagged potential traffic delays at the Diamond Hill/Nate Whipple intersection affecting buses and requested additional data on bus arrival reliability for stops referenced by route numbers. Committee member Abbott asked whether Pound Road and several other streets were walkable; the committee noted that the Cumberland Police Department classifies those roads as non-walkable in its routing guidance.
With unanswered questions about the number of students who might be placed on wait lists and the operational impact of consolidating stops, the committee agreed to table the vote until the next meeting so staff could provide route-counts, walkability assessments and any recommended consolidations.
No formal vote on the routes was taken; the committee will revisit the item once staff return with the requested route details.","After questions about walkability, clustered stops and potential late arrivals, the committee agreed to table approval of the 2025–26 bus routes until the next meeting to allow staff to collect route-volume and walkability details.",{"_33":97,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":98,"_41":99,"_43":100,"_45":101,"_46":102,"_48":103,"_50":104,"_52":105,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":106,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":107,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},5973911,"Middle-school administrators outline restorative discipline process and supports",509,446000,955000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1&start=446&end=955","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1/thumbnail_446000.jpg","/articles/5973911/Cumberland/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Middle-school-administrators-outline-restorative-discipline-process-and-supports","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973911-c6f12039400ab9f601389cd27a5936c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1776552629&Signature=Pci53I66x7c36vJBzKVyenaNXRB~Zz5KUCajoDno6AB0nkfj2XQXKbVgNQ75h5PcJJLGx6eHcO63zZ-Xsle-rzAEmOBAjDtdxAYwesNi6XCN7zdNx36GaZaE3UOeLrn6folSNXstDKD5mj5M21K9NTS1AgqkiOIaRxkyy8HFut3hxtK01Y1CufnxvDqx2DaTSvq8lx9jZ5-fcDUAHh6eD3nS78Yg8JyZTNAuPJmry1SVQDvUrWMXEz9G8Gu9G4DlPVzduNgk3sNpuXJdJdNxYj9lvS5IckwjzYTJLWl5KBoeaYcB00iTC~PU8aMP5AKbM6450lK3PuISHPeVh5cgUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Middle-school administrators and staff presented an overview of Cumberland’s restorative discipline process to the School Committee on Sept. 25, describing how incidents are investigated, how decisions are guided, and what supports follow disciplinary findings.
Administrator Coughlin and the middle-school team said the district has shifted from a punitive model toward restorative practices that emphasize repairing harm and teaching students skills to avoid repeat incidents. A prerecorded presentation shown in open session summarized the approach and the district’s expectations for administrators.
The presentation described a four-step fact-finding process for incidents: investigate to determine details; collect written statements from students involved; review video if an incident occurred on a bus; and consult the student handbook and then communicate with parents by email, phone or meeting depending on severity. The presenter said \"the vast, vast majority of students at the middle school get 0 or maybe 1 office referral in an entire year,\" and emphasized that the in-depth process applies to exceptional incidents rather than routine classroom matters.
Administrators said they use two decision guidelines—egregiousness of the incident and the student’s pattern of behavior—to promote consistent outcomes across schools. The committee heard that teams across the district (including Dean Fernandez and Miss Holman at McCourt and the North Cumberland team) coordinate to apply guidelines consistently.
After a consequence is determined, administrators described a menu of supports to help students succeed: restorative conferences to repair harm, referrals to the target team for specialized support, and programs such as check-in/check-out that pair a student with a trusted adult through the school day.
During committee questions, members thanked the presenters for the clear explanation and asked for materials to be shared with parents; administrators said they would distribute the video and supplemental information to families.
The presentation was informational; no formal committee action was taken.","Cumberland middle-school administrators presented a restorative-approach discipline overview, describing a four-step investigation process, data showing most students receive zero or one referral annually, and in-school supports such as target teams and check-in/check-out.",{"_33":109,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":110,"_41":111,"_43":112,"_45":113,"_46":114,"_48":115,"_50":116,"_52":117,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":118,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":119,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},5973916,"School committee approves tighter loitering language and police detail at BF Norton after recent incident",288,1243000,1531000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1&start=1243&end=1531","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829793-4db184c32d6897d38094174801aa39c1/thumbnail_1243000.jpg","/articles/5973916/Cumberland/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/School-committee-approves-tighter-loitering-language-and-police-detail-at-BF-Norton-after-recent-incident","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5973916-1e430a04a09e52f0aa6df4c326196f88/orig.mp4?Expires=1776552629&Signature=kHzFR2BLqDH-Nnyvus78WBZjGT20ADpzinhkgPEyqB0WuXafTrYzbfhuxulhtnQGrYFenEpM62GSiXQZ-dVqs8WkvXSu0rXDgIb8LY6xtUGs9BLvTnX3~iE2RPFfemcq~sXxFOhgSI4Y3JJLRg2aCpzpWoCZpLGkWSb9EubL8x5iJWgj2dFCt64oTqmdnjQ5MfYfbiVBLdMtgYjcG99wmMOVR8HEmsqXOa4yIbaf3Y13waaFI0RpL2P7NmsUnz7JHkML6KZGA6vu86ArSjueMmQYjZGG44FCZAq0W3RKyi6GSg39h0n5s5YiDLhGPI2cvMq5UokRpUOQ4Nz6Ve88sA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Cumberland School Committee on Sept. 25 voted unanimously to request a narrow change to a town loitering ordinance and approved a police detail at BF Norton, actions the committee said respond to a recent safety incident at the school.
Committee member Smith moved the committee’s request to the town to amend “Town Ordinance Chapter 26-8” to clarify that loitering rules apply in “any school yards during school hours”; the motion passed 6-0 after a second by Committee member Shay. Superintendent Dr. Thornton described the ordinance change as a “minor” text edit with important practical effect for school safety.
The committee also approved a police detail at BF Norton for the school year. Dr. Thornton said the district’s safety team recommended adding a police car stationed “in the front where the play area is” so officers can be visible while students are using the playground and assist during other parts of the day. Committee member Shay moved the detail and it passed 6-0 after a second by Committee member Bacon.
In committee discussion, Smith said the proposed wording would give the chief of police clearer authority to restrict presence on school property during school hours. The committee read the amendment aloud in open session, noting the change removes a broader reference and inserts the specific phrase “in any school yards during school hours.”
The committee did not attach a timeline for submitting the change to the town council; members directed staff to proceed with requesting the amendment. The police detail will be paid through existing town/school safety arrangements; the committee did not identify a new dedicated line item during the meeting.
The votes follow a recent, unspecified incident at BF Norton that prompted a safety review and the district to add a temporary police presence earlier this month. Committee members said the amendments are intended to reduce ambiguity about use of school grounds and allow the police chief and school officials to act quickly during school hours.
A copy of the ordinance language discussed in open session is part of the committee’s meeting record; the committee did not cite state statute or other legal authority during its discussion.
The committee adjourned at 7:53 p.m.","The Cumberland School Committee voted to ask the town to amend a loitering ordinance to explicitly cover school yards during school hours and approved a police detail at BF Norton following a recent safety incident.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Superintendent announces retirements, hires and mini-grant awards; committee approves Chartwells bill

Committee delays vote on foster-grandparent/Volunteer MOU with AmeriCorps; requests local representative

School committee tables vote on 2025–26 bus routes to allow follow-up and adjustments

Middle-school administrators outline restorative discipline process and supports

School committee approves tighter loitering language and police detail at BF Norton after recent incident