School Board Votes to Spend $178,000 on Science Labs

The School Committee took a step Thursday night, Aug. 1, at a special meeting to help keep East Providence High School’s accreditation.

The board approved spending $178,000 from a construction bond being used for health and safety improvement to bring the science laboratory up to speed. 

The lab was cited as a significant weakness from representatives of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) several weeks ago in a meeting with school officials.

Superintendent Kim Mercer asked the school board to address this particular deficiency in school now while other work is being done in the school.

“The contractors are in the building already,” Mercer said. “They will be taking everything out of the room. I don’t want them to put everything back in the same condition it is now.” 

NEASC accredited the high school for 10 years in 2008. The school is at the mid-point of its current accreditation.

“The physical plant needs to be addressed,” said Mercer, particularly the science facilities and the school’s lack of compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “We need to take a good look (at the building) in the very near future and address the problems that are there." 

“I think this need to be a priority,” said Joel Monteiro, chairman of the School Committee. 

The vote to take money from the budget for making fire and other safety improvements to the schools was 3-1. Anthony Ferreira voted no because he said he was opposed to spending “life/safety” money in other areas, even if that budget now shows $1.3 million in savings.

“I don’t care what happens to the science lab as long as life/safety is taken care of,” he said. 

Ferreira said he would like to see a complete breakdown of how all that money is being spent, and where the so-called savings are coming from. The public deserve to know exactly were and how that money is being spent, he said. 

Ed Catelli, facilities director for the schools, said he would very willing to do a public presentation on school construction spending with the consultants from SMMA. 

“We’re not deceiving the public,” he said. “We picked the highest priorities and this is the savings.”

Monteiro said: “We’re adjusting on the fly based on the information we have today.”