Pocasset School: In Deep Water

Tiverton, the school department and local residents are working together to find a solution for a potentially hazardous water drainage issue at the Pocasset Elementary School.

After it rains the parking lot behind the Pocasset School on Tiverton's north end more resembles a swimming pool than a place to park a car and the town will have to spend tens of thousands to correct the problem. Water runoff collects in the southeast corner of the lot and rests against the school's foundation, covering about 100 feet of pavement with standing water up to 18 inches deep. Resident Jim O'Dell worried the poor drainage would undermine the paved parking lot, foundation and - at the very least - pose a safety hazard to students. "When I saw it, the last rain was four days earlier," said O'Dell as he described the volume of standing water on the parking lot. "There is evidence on the foundation of the school that water has sat …

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Tiverton School Budget Funds Full-Time Resource Officer

The Tiverton School Committee's 2013-14 recommended budget comes in at $28.75 million.

The Tiverton School Committee voted to fund a full-time resource officer position in its recommended 2013-14 budget, despite facing reductions in federal aid. The $70,000-per-year salary would be partially paid for by the School District to reflect the 180 days per year. The school would pay 75 percent, of $50,400 annually, the remainder will be paid for by the town as the officer will be handing town duties. Thanks to a $179,020 reduction in health care expenses over the next fiscal year, the school district's Director of Business and Finance Douglas Fiore said the district could easily cover the costs of a school resource officer as well as offset cuts in federal aid due to sequestration. "It would more than offset any additional expense…

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Naome Lixes

5:16 pm on Friday, March 15, 2013

" Next the Fireman will want their windfall and put a fireman in every school...just watch. As soon as you save money, the union guys are like wolves to suck it up." Right - Government is the problem, until all your friends have left the room. Nobody is talking about the fire department in the schools. More TCC dreck...   more ›

Tiverton School Committee To Discuss Budget Tonight

The Tiverton School Committee will discuss its budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year at its meeting tonight.

The Tiverton School Committee will meet tonight to discuss its 2013-14 budget. The School Committee will meet tonight to discuss for a final time its budget before forwarding its recommendations to the town's Budget Committee. "Cost savings, shared services, the health trust, we have many different ways of trying to save money all the time, which we will be talking about during our meeting on Tuesday before we send our meeting to the Budget Committee," said Sally A. Black, chariwoman, Tiverton School Committee. The School Committee will meet at 5:30 in the Tiverton High School Library, 100 North Brayton Road.

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Tiverton Schools, Parents Against DiPalma Bill That Would Charge Students For Extracurricular Activities

Tiverton parents and the School Committee chairwoman said they would not endorse a bill that would charge students for participation in extracurricular activities.

Tiverton parents and School Committee members expressed opposition toward a bill introduced by Sen. Louis DiPalma (Newport, Middletown, Tiverton, Little Compton) that would allow Rhode Island public school districts to charge students for involvement in extracurricular activities. The bill, (S 0112), is a response to Rhode Island communities that are struggling to provide funding for activities like sports and band - specifically the Middletown School Committee, which is struggling to close budget shortfalls. Families that are unable to afford the fee would be able to apply for an exception, said DiPalma. "The Rhode Island Interscholastic League, when I go up to meetings there, has said that sports and extracurricular activities are an …

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Tom

5:56 pm on Monday, March 11, 2013

I am for a paid full time fire department, but it is not essential to have a paid full time operation. We could go back to a volunteer system. We spend more in legal fees in this town than it costs to run our athletic programs. I would rather give the money for the kids benefit than the lawyers.   more ›

Parents Want Police Presence In Schools

Parents told administrators that they want a school resource officer reassigned to patrol schools.

About 50 people, most parents, gathered in the Tiverton High School library for a two-hour meeting on safety in schools. Administrators answered questions and described emergency plans and protocols, but the majority of discussion focused on what measures schools could take now to offer additional precautions. "After what happened [in Newtown, CT] on Friday, are we reacting to that? We are," said Supt. William Rearick. "We are fine tuning what we do in Tiverton, in the state and across the country. We are refining what we do and making it better." Rearick commended Tiverton's school community for its handling of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT. Rearick met with faculty, guidance counselors, emergency responders …

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After Newtown, Tiverton To Hold School Safety Meeting On Thursday

Tiverton school administrators will sit down with parents on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the high school library and talk safety.

The Tiverton School Committee scheduled a special meeting for Thursday at 7 p.m. in the high school library to meet with parents and students concerned with safety in the district's five schools. School administrators across Newport County and the country are reevaluating building security and evacuation plans in the wake of the Newtown elementary school shooting last week. On Monday, teachers grappled with student's questions and the state Department of Education (RIDE) circulated reminders to districts throughout the state reminding schools to take safety seriously and comply with RIDE's mandates emergency drills and plans. According to Supt. William Rearick, Tiverton's emergency plans are updated with local public safety officials …

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ray

3:47 pm on Tuesday, December 18, 2012

for the taxes we pay in this town we should have a armed guard at all the schools..   more ›

LETTER: School Committee Budget Time Line

Tiverton School Committee Candidate Evan Katz writes a letter to the editor.

Tiverton Superintendent Waives Pay Raise

While many heads of schools across the state are being criticized for their large salaries, Tiverton Supt. William Rearick waived the 3 percent salary increase guaranteed in his contract. He is among the lowest paid superintendents in the state.

As many public school superintendents were criticized last week for their inflated salaries, Tiverton's head of school quietly forfeited a 3 percent salary increase guaranteed in his salary. Since 2009, Supt. William J. Rearick has accepted a zero percent salary increase even though his contract has a built in raise of 3 percent annually. "Every year I take a zero because that's that the teachers have taken," said Rearick. Through the end of the 2012-13 school year, Rearick will not accept a raise on his base salary of $122,923. Over the next two years of his contract, Rearick's salary will see a 1.75 percent increase and he will be awarded a $900 stipend. These increases mirror those accepted in the teacher's contract in August by the …

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Letter to the Editor

LETTER: Comments Taken Out Of Context

Justin Katz defends comments he made recently on his Twitter account.

To the Editor: Deborah Scanlon Janick’s letter, attacking me (if you can believe it) for a conversation with a long-time acquaintance on Twitter, is an example of what divides Tiverton. Our elective offices may be non-partisan, but anybody hoping to serve their community apparently must expect big-time-politics personal attacks. Twitter is a Web site that allows users to post very short comments. The first sentence of this letter would be too long. People use it to share interesting articles and to have quick, light conversations. In this case, I was responding to the man who started the liberal RI Web site opposing my conservative one; he now works in the Providence mayor’s office. When he asked me about projects like Sandywoods, I …

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The Shill

5:17 pm on Monday, October 8, 2012

The entire tweet was posted so by definition it could not be taken out of context. For once I would like to see someone runnig for office to just own up to what they said. If that was your opinion own up to it but stop trying to play the victim when you get caught with your pants down. We all make mistakes just say so and move on don't try to lie your way out after the fact it just makes you look…   more ›

Tiverton School Committe Approves Breathalyzer Policy For High School

Tiverton school administrators can now administer a breathalyzer test to students suspected of using alcohol at school-sponsored events.

In a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the Tiverton Shool Committee passed the breathalyzer policy to enable high school administrators to use the tests on students suspected of using alcohol. In the policy's third reading since it was drafted in May, little discussion and no addition input from parents or students precluded the vote. "The breathalyzer policy would allow administrators to press those students suspected of being under influence to take the breathalyzer," said Supt. William Rearick. "It is just an additional step for those students we already suspect are under the influence of drugs or alcohol." Tests would be administered in private by either the Principal Steven Fezette or Vice Principal Jack McKinnon - both will be trained to …

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