Letter: School Chair Responds to Jamestown Contract Controversy

School Committee Chair Kimberly Page refutes fellow School Committee Member Bill Mudge's claims that NK has lost millions in a contract with Jamestown students.

To the editor, I recently read Bill Mudge’s letter to the editor about the Jamestown contract.  Mr. Mudge claimed that for the last 10 years he and one other individual were the only members of the school committee who understood the Jamestown school contract, and since 2001 the rest of the committee and the town council wasted millions.    Since 2001, when the previous Jamestown contract was signed, there were 23 North Kingstown residents who served on the school committee; at the same time, there were 5 superintendents, 3 business administrators, and more 5 people who served on the town council.  I want to assure you, contrary to Mr. Mudge’s allegations, there was no conspiracy by myself and the other 50 people who served NK, to cheat …

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Nominate This Year's Teacher of the Year

The North Kingstown School Department is seeking nominations for this year's Teacher of the Year Award.

  Know of an inspiring, dedicated teacher in North Kingstown? Sing their praises and nominate them for the 2013-2014 NK Teacher of the Year Award. The North Kingstown School Department is seeking nominations for the coming year's award. Nominate a teacher who: Nomination forms (attached above) must be submitted to the Assistant Superintendent's Office by 4 p.m. on Monday, April 22. Late or incomplete submissions will not be accepted. For more information, please call 401-268-6430.

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Holding a Workshop and Need a Space?

This summer, workshop instructors can rent space at the high school for their classes.

Preliminary Cuts Approved for School Budget

The NK School Committee made its first round of cuts.

With more than $500,000 in cuts needed to balance next year’s school budget, the North Kingstown School Committee made its first series of slashes – including cuts to staffing, maintenance, equipment and more. According to School Superintendent Phil Auger, the district faces about $552,000 in cuts to stay in the green. The deficit is due in part to drops in both state and federal funding, as well as an expected dip in student enrollment. North Kingstown is projected to lose 100 students from last year. Additionally, NK will take on an additional 47 students through the expansion of the Crossroads housing complex – though the funding for these students will not arrive until the following academic year. Auger, assuming a four percent …

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NK Schools to Face Another Year of Cuts

School officials will have to find $500,000 for the next school year.

Another hard year of cuts is ahead for North Kingstown schools, according to Superintendent Phil Auger. On Tuesday night, Auger presented a preliminary look at fiscal 2014’s budget, which starts July 1. According to Auger, the district will need to make roughly $500,000 in cuts to balance the budget. State and federal funding for the upcoming year are both expected to drop, according to figures from Auger and School Business Director Mary King. One of those factors is a drop in enrollment. According to King, North Kingstown schools are expected to cumulatively lose 100 students. Jamestown, which sends its high school students to North Kingstown High School, is also expected to have fewer students coming into NK next year. Fewer students …

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NK Politics

7:45 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Hopefully with 3 new members of our council we will see positive differences as compared to previous council's.   more ›

Council, School Committee Get First Look at Upcoming Budget Year

Home values are expected to drop following current property revaluations in North Kingstown.

It’s not even 2013 yet and town and school officials are forecasting another tight budget year for fiscal 2014. At their Monday joint night meeting, the North Kingstown Town Council and School Committee saw presentations from both the town manager and school superintendent highlighting the upcoming fiscal year’s forecast. For Town Manager Michael Embury, the upcoming property revaluations could mean a significant drop in property tax revenue for the town. According to Embury, initial estimates are projecting a 10 percent reduction in real estate values. If the 10 percent reduction holds (revaluations are still ongoing, so this figure is subject to change) and the town doesn’t cut anything from last year’s budget (i.e. expenditures remain …

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E

8:08 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013

AHH...The dawning light... the face was familiar, I could not place it! Of course I have seen the movie, many moons ago - loved it! I think this Supt. and SC have what it takes to collectively solve the elusive start time dilemma if they really wanted to. First off, they need to get rid of the seating arrangement in favor of one where they can face each other for true work session discourse. I …   more ›

NK Parent Calls for Reinstitution of Rosh Hashanah

A Catholic parent from NK is asking for the Jewish holy day to be once again recognized on the school calendar.

Just hours after the start of the Yom Kippur, one North Kingstown parent stood before the North Kingstown School Committee asking for another Jewish holy day to be reinstated on the school calendar. For the past several years, North Kingstown students had Rosh Hashanah off. Last year, the school department was taken away to make up for the days missed following Hurricane Irene. Last year, school started a week late as North Kingstown struggled to restore power to all schools and residents. Though no hurricane (or tropical storm) appeared this year to give students an extended summer vacation, Rosh Hashanah was omitted from this year’s school calendar once again. Cheryl Dowling, a Catholic parent of three North Kingstown students, told the …

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North Kingstown School Bus Routes

New start times and new bus routes go into effect this school year.

With budget cuts forcing the elimination of two buses this school year, bell times and some bus routes have been changed. Check below for links to complete bus routes (morning and afternoon) for each school in North Kingstown. North Kingstown High School Davisville Middle School Wickford Middle School Fishing Cove Elementary School Forest Park Elementary School Hamilton Elementary School Stony Lane Elementary School Suzanne M. Henseler Quidnessett Elementary School

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Letter: Jamestown Students Critical to NK Schools

Asking Jamestown for more money may send them to another district.

On Monday evening, Aug. 6, the Town Council and the manager spoke about a letter that the manager wrote to the town of Jamestown regarding payment toward the high school bond. This issue has been pushed around for many years and continues to be a source of irritation between the Jamestown community and our town. Mr. Mudge and others do not understand the value or the economics of this relationship, and should this discussion continue, we may very well see Jamestown send its students elsewhere. If this happens, there will be dire consequences for our high school. Here is why: First, let me begin by saying that the Jamestown students come to our high school very well prepared and are some of our most high performing students both …

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WMJ

9:39 am on Tuesday, August 28, 2012

The word on the street in Jamestown is that the NK High option is much less attractive theses days. I am a Jamestown resident and h.s. parent and I would suggest that Jamestown is absolutely moving closer to seriously considering other options. The antagonistic members of the SC (read: Mr. Mudge), the seeming willingness of the town to cut extracurriculars and sports which are absolutely critical…   more ›