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 Middle School, $4,000,000 for Western Elementary School, and $500,000 line items listed for four other elementary schools. Superintendent Don Cowart summarized that the $2.7 million figure cited for the high-school sprinkler work is the current planning estimate and that final costs will be updated with independent cost estimates during the design phase. "If it comes in at $3,000,000, then we're going to have to slide other projects to make sure that gets covered," Cowart said.

The committee also approved multiple purchase orders and invoice-based procurements intended to be funded by a combination of the bond and grant sources:

- Gymnasium improvements: The committee approved purchase orders covering a full floor replacement, new (motorized) bleachers, painting, cleaning, demolition and peripheral athletic equipment. The superintendent said the project portion tied to this scope is $2,500,000, with about two-thirds expected to come from an equity-initiative grant and roughly one-third from the bond. Work is expected to take place during the summer so the gym is available when school resumes.

- Science labs at Coventry High School: The committee approved purchase orders to replace worn workstations, update plumbing and ventilation where necessary, and install new casework in approximately 12 science rooms. The presentation said these procurements fall under the district's $500,000 one-step threshold and are not structural renovations; a portion of the work also responds to fire-marshal notes about vent hoods in chemistry rooms.

Committee members asked for clarifications during the presentations, including whether the price estimates were current (Member Bradford Mayer asked whether the figures were from two-and-a-half years ago) and the scope of site improvements at Western Elementary (Member Jack Boni asked whether the sidewalk/paving work referenced in a slide meant school-property walkways). Donnelly and Cowart replied that the numbers submitted to RIDE will be updated via independent cost estimates and that site improvements refer to on-property walkways and playground access rather than public sidewalks.

Separately, the committee approved an MOU with the town outlining contributions to a fiscal-year 2026 deficit-reduction plan. Superintendent Cowart said the MOU records the town’s and district’s interim agreement about contributions while the required 2024 audit and a formal deficit-reduction plan remain incomplete. "This is our way of saying, here's the agreement of how we're going to address this," Cowart said. The committee approved the MOU 5–0.

The committee also approved the existing school-resource-officer (SRO) memorandum of understanding with the police department for the next three years and voted to spend impact fees to replace a kitchen steamer and kettle at Coventry High School; both motions passed on unanimous 5–0 votes.

Votes at a glance (all motions recorded 5–0 unless noted): - Seal executive-session records (pursuant to cited sections) — carried 5–0. - Approve executive-session minutes of March 27, 2025 — carried 5–0. - Approve open-session minutes of March 27, 2025 — carried 5–0. - Approve submission of schematic design to RIDE School Building Authority design-review portal (CHS fire suppression and related bond projects) — carried 5–0. - Approve purchase orders for gymnasium project (floor, bleachers, painting, demolition, peripherals) — carried 5–0. - Approve purchase orders/invoices for science-lab renovations — carried 5–0. - Approve town–school MOU on fiscal-year 2026 deficit contributions — carried 5–0. - Approve three-year SRO MOU with police department — carried 5–0. - Approve Coventry High School kitchen steamer and kettle purchase using impact fees (approx. $60,000) — carried 5–0.

The superintendent said the school building committee, comprised of town and school representatives and community members, will meet regularly to prioritize phasing and bid packages over the next five years. Donnelly said the schedule for bidding depends on RIDE’s review timeline; she estimated bidding in July 2025 with contractor mobilization in August 2025 for the larger high-school projects. "Bidding process is anticipated for July of 2025, with a contractor mobilizing in August of 2025," Donnelly said.

Committee members and staff said they will continue to update the full committee as design development and bidding progress. The next regular meeting was scheduled for April 24, 2025, at Western Coventry Elementary School.