The Woonsocket School Board has scheduled a public meeting for Nov. 13 in the Woonsocket School Commons Area at 6 p.m. The meeting will include discussing a proposed elementary school addition designed to be located on the east side of the elementary and gym entrances. Architectural drawings and other information will be presented.
The reasoning behind the potential project is to: 1.) Add two additional larger elementary classrooms to fit upcoming enrollment projections. This will also free up two existing classrooms, which includes one in the junior high portion of the gym. This room is currently a shared Special Ediucation room combined with pre-K three-year-old preschool with a speech teacher utilizing space in a corner. The future of this room would be used for a high school classroom while moving the SPED room to the new addition and the pre-K three-year-olds to an existing elementary classroom.
2.) Add two SPED rooms to accommodate the increased enrollment in SPED students. The current room is insufficient for accommodating SPED students with special needs.
3.) Add a sensory room for SPED students. The purpose for this room is creating a calm space for students to develop their skills in a controlled environment.
4.) Add a SPED office and Title I office. As mentioned above, this allows the speech teacher to move into the existing Title I office. Right now the speech teacher is sharing the SPED/Pre-K three classroom. Currently the school also has two SPED teachers sharing the coaches room for an office, which they will then be moved into the new addition.
5.) Add a conference room for meetings.
The financing goal of the project is to use existing capital outlay dollars to fully fund the project. The approximate size of the addition is 5,000 sq. feet, and the school is currently working with the Koch-Hazard Architects on an estimated cost bid, which will be ready in time for the meeting.
For any questions or concerns, please contact Supt. Rod Weber – 796-4431.