Middletown School Committee approves layoffs notices, reopens early retirement, amends FY26 budget and awards multiple construction contracts

MIDDLETOWN, R.I. — The Middletown School Committee on Thursday voted on a package of personnel, budget and construction actions, including authorizing notification of layoffs and nonrenewals, reopening an early-retirement option for teachers, amending the district—s fiscal year 2026 budget to cover transportation costs, and awarding multiple trade contracts for the $190 million school building project.

The meeting at 5 p.m. also included recognition of 2025 retirees and the district—s teacher of the year, and the committee voted to seal the minutes of an earlier executive session held to obtain legal advice on collective bargaining.

Why it matters: The committee—s votes move several implementation steps forward for the district—s multiyear school construction program and finalize budget changes tied to a shared-service transportation arrangement with the town. The nonrenewal and layoff notifications begin a state-mandated process that the superintendent said the district hopes to rescind for many staff depending on final budget outcomes.

The superintendent, Michael Niemeyer, told the committee Rhode Island law requires the district to notify affected staff by June 1 and that the administration had provided a list to union representatives. "It is my hope that the school department can rescind many of these nonrenewals and or layoffs," Niemeyer said, and he emphasized a confidentiality arrangement: "We will not report the names of teachers until actual termination ... They will be reported out in categories based on the reason for their nonrenewals and layoffs." The committee voted to approve the superintendent—s recommendation to issue the nonrenewal/layoff notices.

The committee also voted to reopen an early-retirement option for teachers and approved a student-assistance services contract for 2025–26.

Budget amendment and transportation

Business-office staff told the committee the district and town had negotiated a short-term budget change to cover unexpected transportation costs tied to the shared-service model. The committee voted to amend the Middletown Public Schools FY26 revenue and expense budgets to $46,279,270, adding roughly $700,000 in both revenue and expense to the FY26 plan to cover the immediate transportation shortfall. At the time of the report, April 30 budget documents showed a projected budget balance of about $326,000 and encumbrances of approximately $12,072,015 (approx.), the business office said.

School building contracts

The committee voted to recommend awards for multiple trade packages identified by RTA numbers for the new middle/high school and the elementary-school complex. The motion listed specific trade packages by RTA codes used in the project documents (examples cited by the committee: 03A concrete; 05A structural steel; 31A site work; BP99 precondition survey) and approved awards for demolition and abatement, fire suppression, site work, plumbing, doors and hardware, elevators, HVAC and related site services for the new buildings. Committee members and staff said the building committee had reviewed the items in detail before bringing them forward; the project team (Colliers, HMFH, DBBW, Gilbane and others) continue to oversee procurement and will forward awards to the town council as required.

Personnel and policy actions

The committee approved the first and final review of public complaints about school personnel policy number 1053, tabled the review of homeschooling policy number 6172.3 until a subsequent meeting after the committee received additional information, and approved an athletic-trainer job description.

Ceremonial items and reports

The meeting opened with recognition of the district—s 2025 retirees. Superintendent Niemeyer said the retirees represented a combined total of 252 years of service across Middletown schools. Student representative Chloe Tyser, reporting on recent student activities, thanked the retirees and highlighted spring events and awards at Middletown High School.

Executive session and sealing minutes

The committee convened in executive session under Rhode Island open-meeting law to obtain legal advice related to collective bargaining. After reconvening in public, the committee voted to seal the executive-session minutes as allowed under the cited statute.

Votes at a glance (as taken on May 15, 2025)

- Motion to convene in executive session under Rhode Island law to obtain legal advice on collective bargaining: approved. - Motion to seal executive-session minutes (collective bargaining legal advice): approved. - Motion to approve the consent agenda: approved. - Motion to adopt superintendent—s recommendation to issue layoff/nonrenewal notices: approved. - Motion to reopen early-retirement option for teachers: approved. - Motion to approve the 2025–26 student-assistance services contract: approved. - Motions to recommend award of multiple RTA trade packages for school building project (listed by package numbers including 03A, 05A, 31A, BP99 and others): approved. - Motion to award contracts for elementary-school complex (demolition/abatement, fire suppression, site work, plumbing, doors and hardware): approved. - Motion to award contracts for new middle/high school (elevators, fire suppression, HVAC, plumbing, site services): approved. - Motion for first and final review of public complaints policy #1053: approved. - Motion to table homeschool policy #6172.3: approved (tabled until next meeting). - Motion to approve athletic trainer job description: approved. - Motion to amend FY26 revenue and expense budget to $46,279,270 (add ~ $700,000 to cover transportation): approved.

What the committee did not do

The committee did not release names of individual teachers subject to nonrenewal/layoff notices; the superintendent said names would remain confidential until termination and would be reported only in categories if terminations occur.

Next steps

Many of the construction awards will proceed to the town council for final approval as required under the town—s procurement and project governance process. The district and union will continue to negotiate and monitor budget developments; the superintendent said the administration hopes to rescind many of the recommended nonrenewals based on final budget outcomes.