Coventry School Committee approves RIDE schematic submission for CHS sprinkler project, authorizes gym and science-lab purchases and MOUs

The Coventry School Committee on Monday approved submitting schematic design drawings for Coventry High School’s automatic fire suppression system to the RIDE School Building Authority design review portal and authorized several purchase orders tied to the school construction bond and grant-funded projects.

The action came after a presentation by Tracy Donnelly of Studio Jade and remarks from Superintendent Don Cowart. The committee voted 5–0 to allow staff to upload schematic design documentation to RIDE so the district can pursue reimbursement and move the projects into design and bidding phases.

Tracy Donnelly, a consultant with Studio Jade, told the committee the fire-protection work is scheduled to be implemented from August 2025 through December 2026 and that the submission to RIDE will follow the agency’s multi-stage review (schematic design, design development, construction documents) when required. "Because without RIDE approval, you cannot get your reimbursement," Donnelly said. She explained smaller projects under $500,000 may use a one-step review while larger projects follow the three-step review and that the schematic submission starts that process.

The schematic submission was discussed as part of a broader bond update detailing allocations from the voter-approved $25,000,000 bond. The presentation recapped the stage-2 allocations, including a $10,000,000 allocation for the high school (the largest single allocation shown), $9,000,000 for Alan Shawn Feinstein…