LETTERS

Myth, facts about new Warwick high schools

Posted 10/26/22

Dear Warwick Residents,

Our goal from the start of this process was to ensure that the community was informed with the accurate information that they would need in order to make an informed …

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LETTERS

Myth, facts about new Warwick high schools

Posted

Dear Warwick Residents,


Our goal from the start of this process was to ensure that the community was informed with the accurate information that they would need in order to make an informed decision on November 8th. There is no doubt for all of the reasons that we have shared over the last few months and years that we feel that our students absolutely need and deserve these new high school facilities. In our attempt to inform the community, we have seen a number of points of misinformation that voters should have addressed if they are to make an informed decision.

  • Point 1:

o             Myth - Bond Total Projected Cost is incorrect

o             Fact - The estimated cost for the two new high schools was based on current information from April of 2022, which included the projected escalation. This means that the total projected cost already included the potential increases in costs. This is also a one time opportunity to take advantage of the 52.5% reimbursement rate to our district, which allows us to build two schools for the cost of one. Once these expire, the bonus reimbursements will no longer be available.

  • Point 2:

o             Myth - Potential loss of families and students from the community

o             Fact - Students are currently attending schools in other districts due to the condition of our facilities. Specifically, 294 students left the district in 2022 to attend charter and other public school districts, which is $4,913,567 that is being paid to these schools from the district. Research (“Reimagining 21st Century Learning Through the Construction of New High School Buildings”, American University, August 9, 2022) shows that a benefit to this project is that not only will those students return to our schools, but that additional students from other districts will seek to attend our schools. Furthermore, the study shows that new schools will entice families to move to the city enrolling their children into the schools here in Warwick.

  • Point 3:

o             Myth - Not all students across the city need/deserve new high schools

o             Fact - Both of the high schools are in need of replacement due to age, infrastructure condition, and deficiency. Additionally, students residing in both sides of the city will benefit from the new high schools. Whereas equity is always a concern, we have always believed that all students throughout the city deserve opportunities for 21st century learning in state of the art facilities.

  • Point 4:

o             Myth - Potential Tax Impact is astronomical

o             Fact - The City’s Finance Director presented at the Community Forum at the Crowne Plaza on August 9th that the impact of the new high schools to a homeowner would be approximately $1.00 per $1000 of assessed value. This specifically means that on a house assessed at $300,000, there would be a tax impact of $300 annually after the completion of the project in 2027. This would be approximately $25 per month.

My team and I work every day to strive to give the best opportunities to our students, and we feel that this project does exactly that. That said, most importantly is to make sure that the community is informed with the correct information when asked to make this decision.


Sincerely,

Lynn Dambruch

Superintendent of the Warwick School Department

letter, letters

Comments

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  • JohnStark

    Ah, No. At a high level, nowhere does Ms. Dambruch argue that new schools will result in improved student outcomes, improved instruction, improved teacher qualifications, or improved ANYTHING. In fact, the word "improved" appears nowhere in her editorial. Let's take it point by point.

    Point 1: Essentially, Ms. Dambruch argues that we should build two new schools because someone else will pay for half. This is hardly a compelling argument to hamstring Warwick's taxpayers.

    Point 2: "Students are currently attending schools in other districts due to the condition of our facilities." Actually, students are fleeing the city's schools due to inferior instruction and a parental recognition that better instructional options exist elsewhere. It's not the buildings. It's what goes on inside the buildings.

    Point 3: Ms. Dambruch suggests that students "...will benefit" but fails to say How. More specifically, she fails to give us any sense of instruction options that will be available in a new school that are currently not available. Apparently, "will benefit" is good enough.

    Point 4: My personal favorite. Buckle up, Warwick. The median value of a Warwick home is between $350k and $360k, not the $300k Ms. Dambruch references. Openly distorting existing data is never a good look, though understandable if you don't work in the dreaded private sector. If the school department wishes to erect a shining new thing, so be it. But the notion that new schools will alter any student outcomes or quality of instruction is truly the biggest "Myth".

    Monday, October 31, 2022 Report this