[{"_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",6427190,"mediaKeyId","5906023-07171c748d4b8d14e92e7a035c55fef2","parentId",5906023,"title","School committee upholds superintendent, keeps Statewide depot busing after parent appeal","audioSeconds",2824,"startMs",5975000,"endMs",8799000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906023-07171c748d4b8d14e92e7a035c55fef2&start=5975&end=8799","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906023-07171c748d4b8d14e92e7a035c55fef2/thumbnail_5975000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6427190/North-Kingstown/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/School-committee-upholds-superintendent-keeps-Statewide-depot-busing-after-parent-appeal","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427190-b48a58eb9c182bb17c338118d50bde94/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447716&Signature=UA7HY~~DhZf19N-6Vj5-dFZTvbRViB1-vkxYvdYjF3n5n6phkLS4~c4y~uxxCl0c4u9hAExEI-Yoq9d4QFQocIeWwzfXtiCZ9gkAPOJPXeV3Ju-TwPFGGkKV6PVCZ0qsJShJsUxFEPeTCdneheklmPCD0W6CYHERcyNKlWQGh-4gdaOtY03qbk9cNuH9ffMw6sLPy1tUIRpZb3LQfWU66JVdE~POO81DYOeziXETuJXjr9Z10qWktrBFnhlk~m8XAanlMY9dgo~fXdDwDphozyH~uaZXnvhasJDtRTk2Ul7NyYAcy6R0USe6r~5U4BFQkwHtwQwZaSbFV~2GAm-grw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Kingstown","date","2025-10-08T01:10:40Z","article","The North Kingstown School Committee on Oct. 7 voted unanimously to uphold Superintendent Duba’s decision to contract with Statewide Transportation and to use depot-style bus stops for students who attend private, parochial and charter schools.

The committee’s decision came after a public appeal from Kent Dressler, a North Kingstown resident and parent, who told the committee that new depot stops require his disabled son and other children to be dropped off as much as 2.5 miles from their home. “You either don't know what's going on in your district or you're just plain lying to me,” Dressler said during his appeal.

The nut of the dispute was the district’s April decision to move from neighborhood drop-offs to depot stops and to contract with the vendor known in committee discussion as Statewide. Superintendent Duba told the committee that the district notified families of the change in April and that families who wanted Statewide-provided transportation were instructed to register through Statewide’s portal. She said the district only learned of some route details — including an apparent stop near Dressler’s neighborhood — when the committee staff received Statewide’s route files the night before the meeting.

Legal counsel for the committee explained the limits of the school committee’s authority. Citing state law (16-21-1.4 and 16-21.15), counsel said that once the district enters a contract with a statewide provider, the operational relationship is between families and the provider and that appeals relating to the provider’s decisions are handled by the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (RIDE). “If a family feels that the transportation they’re being provided is not suitable, they are directed to go directly to RIDE,” counsel said.

Transportation supervisor Michelle (transportation supervisor) described the notification process. She said district staff asked families to sign up in the spring as in past years and then provided those sign-up lists to Statewide. She told the committee that Statewide generally organizes depot stops as part of its statewide operating procedures and that requests for individual accommodations — for example tied to a student’s IEP — are routed through Statewide and RIDE, not directly handled by the district.

Committee members voiced sympathy for Dressler’s situation while also citing the fiscal and operational reasons for the change. One member said the switch to Statewide kept roughly $100,000 within the town’s budget for public-school transportation. Several members urged Dressler to pursue the RIDE appeal process; one said that if RIDE denied an appeal, the committee could then revisit the matter.

After deliberation the committee moved to “uphold the superintendent’s recommendation to continue contracting with Statewide and refer the family to Statewide/RIDE appeals.” The motion passed on a unanimous voice vote.

The committee did not instruct the administration to terminate the Statewide contract; members noted the district may reconsider the arrangement when the contract comes up for renewal. Superintendent Duba said the district would share with the parent available records and the correspondence from the police chief that addressed the safety of depot stops.

Dressler told the committee he intends to pursue further action. The administration and at least one committee member said they planned to assist by sharing documentation and by clarifying the appeal steps to RIDE.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","North Kingstown School Committee Meeting: October 7th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","After a public appeal from a North Kingstown parent over depot-style routes and a disabled student’s pickup, the school committee voted unanimously to uphold the superintendent’s decision to contract with Statewide Transportation and maintain depot stops; committee members urged the parent to pursue RIDE’s appeal process.","taxTitle","North Kingstown, School Districts, Rhode Island","taxId",73306,"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},6427181,"Residents press for reconsideration after policy subcommittee picks; school committee approves superintendent's recommendations",8282,3276000,11558000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906023-07171c748d4b8d14e92e7a035c55fef2&start=3276&end=11558","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906023-07171c748d4b8d14e92e7a035c55fef2/thumbnail_3276000.jpg","/articles/6427181/North-Kingstown/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Residents-press-for-reconsideration-after-policy-subcommittee-picks-school-committee-approves-superintendents-recommendations","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427181-02566595290a11c417803185416cb0fe/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447716&Signature=QjARXtbKaX0ZXaKmPeNGJnsSsGlb6v1NZ1pKNRvl~vXoGIm4NXsPs~SpYgS80xFdkcHTfCPHUJp5z-HxrxWuRCGC3Cf42p4Vif~clEOdvjSh4vqsbN9AzP69HQNnHDMbiEzcDKz3Sb0g1Gsu008q~8cjAik4OB4xOglYyXSz0BejTUlEpgPGsMs6wE7ffIr4VCFhtH0gu~NyY3ROZx6NgltSUvCpetKZoQhTLDW2OEBqkdN1micUXd0U7hdH9U72GfB-QdGVS-LnG1SkisRoScl3WulWuw5Sk-uUJZ6bt4umLQzoj7jOkkFlz8OBG-Lyyp~wGYpuuNrEVejLe0XHEw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Kingstown School Committee approved the superintendent’s recommendations for the policy advisory committee on Oct. 7 after a heated discussion about how candidate names were selected.

Pam Panero, a parent who had applied in May to serve on the policy advisory committee, used public comment time to say she had been told she would be recommended by the administration but later learned her name was not put forward. “From May until now, this process has lacked transparency and accountability,” Panero told the committee.

Superintendent Duba and committee co-chairs described a multi-step review. Duba said applications were reviewed in June and again after a re-opening of the application process in September; she said she and the co-chair reviewed applications and reached a compromise on names to recommend. Several committee members and one co-chair said the policy’s text gives the superintendent authority to recommend members, while others said the committee’s practice had been to discuss recommended names before placing them on the agenda.

The controversy drew a wave of written correspondence. Committee staff read a list of emails and petitions submitted that day calling for reconsideration of Panero’s appointment; the meeting’s correspondence log included more than a dozen separate messages urging her inclusion.

During committee deliberations members debated whether the policy and the committee’s internal processes required the superintendent to consult or obtain agreement from co-chairs before names were submitted. One committee member said the selection process should be clarified in policy to avoid future disputes.

Despite the objections and public appeals, the committee voted to approve the superintendent’s recommended appointments to the policy advisory committee. The motion passed with a majority of members voting in favor and at least one member voting no.

Several members said they would like the policy language clarified going forward to make the role of co-chairs and the superintendent in nominations explicit, and some asked that applicants be notified before their names appear on a public agenda. The superintendent said she had contacted applicants and would continue to improve the notification process.

The newly approved advisory committee membership will begin advising the district on review and drafting of board policies. The committee’s membership and the selection process are likely to be revisited in future policy discussion.","A contentious selection process for the district’s policy advisory committee prompted public comment and dozens of emailed requests for reconsideration; the school committee approved the superintendent’s recommended membership despite objections from some members and public commenters.",{"_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},6427175,"School committee approves revised health-education opt-out policy; administration to notify families",602,9874000,10476000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906023-07171c748d4b8d14e92e7a035c55fef2&start=9874&end=10476","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906023-07171c748d4b8d14e92e7a035c55fef2/thumbnail_9874000.jpg","/articles/6427175/North-Kingstown/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/School-committee-approves-revised-health-education-opt-out-policy-administration-to-notify-families","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427175-d01e4cd313516a777fb79a3fd3a8d2ee/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447716&Signature=ZQgQ-Jqseh6~peKrD3x3iWXpLf17Uki-chRKOV7yzlQLiKZq1TK3NWHcxD6rks4XsgCBdGhJCz8WxhLtMEGYUPjHWB5pgsKPLqMAnJdA~nG5WDF9OnqBFOnV9JlPdhfknTUH4MC4D8v8LiU7I6v58nRHtC8IhB0wnjCIkJh8nKW0E6AibHJGNKpdnon8xF4HmIq2g1SXqOi04cDbMTmExImMUSLc-rHp~A7Fw9Y8eLTpa0wmfM0XoHx8MVvMPr3Ntg8vtQAO1-MGf3tcBtCEzeZjQc2p-FAIG~mes5a8FXDV65fPGvhg6whQ0GnMf-CLWm9T-CfDH-raJcpw5M0bBQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Kingstown School Committee approved a revision to its health-education opt-out policy (IHAM) on Oct. 7, adding clearer language about statutory waivers and specifying how students who opt out will be assigned alternate work.

Under the revised language approved by the committee, students who are opted out of specified health instruction units will “be expected to fulfill an independent assignment from the teacher on a different topic.” Committee members discussed making that language explicit to assure parents that alternate work will not duplicate the material from which the student is being excused.

Superintendent Duba said the revision also lists the three statutory bases for exemptions and aligns the policy with state regulation language. Committee members asked the administration to publish the policy notice this school year even though the school year has already started; the superintendent agreed to distribute the notice and to include information on how parents can request and review the independent assignment.

The committee voted to approve the policy as amended. Members discussed the administrative burden on teachers for preparing alternate assignments and asked that the administration provide guidance to staff on how to implement the provision consistently.

The committee also voted to delete a related policy (IHAMR) that the administration said would be redundant if IHAM is updated.","The committee approved revisions to the district’s health-education opt-out policy, adding statutory waiver references and clarifying that students who opt out will complete an independent assignment on a different topic; the administration will distribute the notice to families this school year.",{"_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},6427170,"Committee approves Paradigm contract to carry school projects through stage 3 and completion",8396,3480000,11876000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906023-07171c748d4b8d14e92e7a035c55fef2&start=3480&end=11876","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906023-07171c748d4b8d14e92e7a035c55fef2/thumbnail_3480000.jpg","/articles/6427170/North-Kingstown/School-Districts/Rhode-Island/Committee-approves-Paradigm-contract-to-carry-school-projects-through-stage-3-and-completion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6427170-9779bd8c596b6e54cd3998d1c1516741/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447716&Signature=fbr5M2hfvUiJ1J9aHndbdmZqRUpNx4Ny1~qZ8g~DbI53hNxdiWmdtR8Xfnlg80fZLORoGw5k-YdFk0MYc8kKXbetUj0lHl~qm~dmUeIpVYD51neNwx24ySmbFM1nUq0IqAz0BfrwX1aww13NSbef8oncPpZgkW-YffnylGMWhc0-7b4fFstX5-a2O7KkMIUqJ9PMbHd3h8cw7vGkTCWK6DPvz6~SpMTCS8Z6nKJt9jeaX8WMG4Zx4RirKM939NONnjPIGpT0NAFOupaY51Uabg3nGBVQ5~AQXtD0aXKJFXrfycYK9o6r61kJ4tLdv9bThFpdEHpIYiDmWsQfsYnidA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The North Kingstown School Committee approved a contract with Paradigm on Oct. 7 to serve as the owner's project manager (OPM) for stage 3 through completion of two capital-improvement projects, including the new middle school.

Committee members said Paradigm’s work through stage 2 had already been covered by an interim contract and that the new contract fills out the remainder of the OPM scope. A building advisory committee representative said the contract terms and costs fall within the total award approved earlier this year.

The administration explained that when the RFP was issued the district did not seek an OPM for every CIP project; Paradigm’s contract covers the projects that require OPM services through schematic design, bidding and construction phases. Committee members who served on the building advisory committee recommended approval.

The committee approved the contract on a voice vote; no member raised objections during the public meeting. The administration said it will provide committee members with additional project schedules and will return to the committee if further OPM or procurement steps are required for other CIP elements.","The school committee approved a contract with Paradigm to oversee stage 3 through completion of district capital projects and the new middle school; the contract stays within the previously approved project budget and was recommended by the building advisory committee.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

School committee upholds superintendent, keeps Statewide depot busing after parent appeal

Residents press for reconsideration after policy subcommittee picks; school committee approves superintendent's recommendations

School committee approves revised health-education opt-out policy; administration to notify families

Committee approves Paradigm contract to carry school projects through stage 3 and completion