The Barrington School Committee heard a detailed update on the district's multi‑school construction program Tuesday, with project managers targeting an April 2026 start and saying the program is about 1.4% over its budgeted estimate while a contingency of more than $15,000,000 remains available.

The update matters because work will affect multiple elementary schools, the high school and adjacent neighborhoods; committee members said the district will present a fuller, public briefing to the Town Council and continue logistics and communications planning to reduce community impacts.

Chris Spiegel, project management executive, told the committee: "We are still at 1.4% over budget." He said the team has "a contingency of over 15,000,000," and that the design and educational program have not significantly deviated from the plan voters reviewed. Spiegel said the project is moving through design development (DD) and that the team will hand current drawings to cost estimators and preconstruction reviewers in coming months to refine cost estimates.

Project managers described a construction sequencing plan that would begin with the high school and then stagger work at the three elementary schools roughly every two months. Spiegel said all three elementary schools are intended to open at the same time once work is complete and that district administrators expect building turnover and teacher move‑in activities to occur before the start of a school term.

The committee was told contractors plan to use the April school break for selective demolition and utility work. Spiegel said the district aims to be "all electric" at the three elementary schools and is currently transitioning utilities as part of the project.

The administration plans to bring a schedule and material decision points back to the school committee for approval at an upcoming meeting. Spiegel said the next level of detailed drawings will be ready around mid‑September; those drawings will be submitted to three independent cost estimators and inform the October review and recommendations to the school committee.

The project team said it will expand public outreach, using a communications consultant and direct mail in mid‑September to reach residents who do not use social media or local newspapers. Spiegel said the communications work will include updating the school construction information on the district website and offering community presentations that include architects and builders to address open items requested by the town planner and town manager.

Committee members raised neighborhood concerns tied to construction logistics at Primrose Hill and adjacent properties, including potential dust, start times and interim fencing. The superintendent's office was asked to coordinate directly with affected neighbors and to survey property lines where cut‑through paths and boundary questions exist. The committee emphasized that the superintendent's office, not individual committee members, will handle operational neighbor outreach.

Spiegel said a preliminary logistics plan was presented to the project team and that it is a first pass that will be refined after community feedback and public notices.

No formal votes or new contractual approvals occurred at the meeting; the committee was told additional design development approvals and schedule votes will be on future agendas.