June 2021
Barrington Public Schools retained KBA to lead the process of a RIDE Stage 1 Facilities Assessment and submission. This is part of a state process that is required every ten years in order to be eligible for state matching funds.
The Barrington School Building Committee was formed.
The RI Department of Education (RIDE) approved Stage I of Barrington’s Necessity of School Construction Application.
BPS moved to Stage II and began mapping out possible renovation and building options to address the needs identified in the Stage I application.
January 2023
Barrington School Committee voted unanimously to resubmit RIDE Stage 1. This effectively restarted the process of creating a Stage II plan of improvement and refocusing the previous work of KBA.
March 2023
School Committee hired Downes Construction as an owner’s project manager (OPM) for the Stage II process.
June 2023
Downes assisted the School Committee in retaining a new architectural services firm, TECTON Associates. At the same time, the Barrington Town Council and the RI State legislature approved a resolution for school construction for a not-to-exceed amount of $250 million.
August – October 2023
TECTON Associates are engaged in Schematic Design, with a target for approval by the Building Committee and the School Committee in mid-October.
The Barrington School Building Committee and TECTON Associates are hosting community conversations to engage Barrington residents in the planning process.
November 2023
Barrington's November 2023 Special Election ballot included a question (Question 1) that asked residents whether to authorize a bond for school construction not-to-exceed $250 million.
On November 7, 2023, Barrington voters approved Question 1 which moved the School Building Project forward to meeting RIDE's Stage II deadline of February 2024.
November 2023 - February 2024
The Building Committee and Tecton worked to prepare Stage II of Barrington's Necessity of School Construction application for RIDE. This Stage II worked included identifying the scope and projected costs of school construction projects and involving educators in the visioning process.
February 2024
Barrington Public Schools submitted Stage II of its Necessity of School Construction application to RIDE in February 2024.
May 2024
On May 28, 2024, the Rhode Island Council on Elementary and Secondary Education voted to approve more than $1.3 billion in new school construction projects across Rhode Island, including Barrington's $250 million school building project.
This is a significant milestone for Barrington, as it means funding for the renovation and construction of four like-new schools has officially been secured from the State. It also allows the Barrington School Building Committee and the Committee's team of architects and project managers to continue working toward the Stage III of the Necessity of School Construction application for RIDE.
Summer - Fall 2024
Barrington Public Schools and Tecton are working toward Stage III, the design and development phase of the Necessity of School Construction application. This work is expected to continue through late 2025 in three phases: schematic design, design development, and construction documents.