Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Rhode Island High School Celebrates Groundbreaking for New Facility

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/21/22

Officials gathered on Friday, June 17, to celebrate a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Rogers High School in Newport, R.I. The school’s existing facility opened in 1957 and was “in the worst shape” in comparison to more than 300 schools around the state, according to local news. Funding for the new construction is coming from a $98 million bond from the Rhode Island Health and Educational Building Corporation.

Local news reports that the new facility will stand three stories and feature STEM labs, media design labs, a cosmetology center and a culinary center, among other amenities. The school will cover a total of about 166,875 square feet for a cost between $108.2 million and $108.9 million.

Newport voters approved a $106.33-million bond in 2020 to build the new facility, but the project has seen numerous redesigns and budget cuts related to skyrocketing inflation rates. The district partnered with architecture firm SLAM Collaborative Inc. for the building’s design.

“When you hold everything else constant, the condition of a school facility is directly tied to everything from attendance to asthma rates, to reading levels and test scores,” said Rhode Island Treasurer Seth Magaziner at the groundbreaking ceremony. Magaziner led the state’s department of education in a 2017 assessment of all 306 public schools in Rhode Island. “[In our 2017 report], Rogers High School held the dubious distinction of being the worst-rated facility of all 306, so this is a day we have been waiting for for a long time.”

The district is also partnering with Downes Construction Co. for the facility’s construction. The project is scheduled for completion in time for the 2024–25 academic year.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • University of Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • UT System Approves First Funds for New Campus

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently approved funds to build the first facility of a new campus in far west Fort Worth, Texas, according to university news. UTA West will serve as a branch of the University of Texas at Arlington and is scheduled to open in fall 2028.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • Pitzer College

    Designing for Change in Higher Ed Learning Environments

    Higher education will continue to evolve, and learning environments must evolve with it. By prioritizing adaptable infrastructure, thoughtful reuse, strong energy performance, and wellness-centered design, campuses can create spaces that support learning today while remaining flexible for the future.