SCHOOL PROJECTS IN MOTION AT NEW SCHOOL, VALLEY ELEMENTARY

MIDDLETOWN, RI (JUNE 9, 2026) – Work on Middletown Middle High School is going to really move from here on out.

Shared Facilities Director Ed Collins said over the next few weeks, everyone should start seeing a noticeable difference with the new building at 1225 Aquidneck Ave. 

That’s especially true once the masonry work begins, which will showcase the exterior look and feel of the grade 6-12 structure just north of the existing Gaudet Middle School. The goal is to open the new building for the first day of the 2027-2028 school year.

“The project is in full swing,” Collins said. “We’re taking the turn here and we’re on our way home with the project. And again, (we’re) on time and on budget.”

Collins’ comments came during his project briefing to the Town Council at least once a month at the group’s regular meeting. 

The goal of the updates is to provide the latest news to local leaders and the community at large so everything is as transparent as possible. The volunteer School Building Committee also posts news on its website https://mdl.town/SBC online.

As part of his briefing, Collins said the steel work for the new middle high school is nearing completion, with fireproofing, plumbing, electrical and more starting in the high school wing of the building. 

The selection of furniture for the classrooms and other spaces was underway, with room numbering, keycards and colors also in process.

On most days, he said there were about 130 tradespeople on the site, a number that should surge to around 200 when the masons start coming in over the next week or two.

“People are really going to see what the school will look like coming up,” Collins said. “It’s gone really well so far.”

Half jokingly, council President Paul M. Rodrigues asked if the new building will feature a healthy dose of Middletown Blue throughout.

In response, Collins said there was a recent meeting at the Oliphant administration building where the color scheme was discussed at length.

“There’s going to be a lot of blue,” said Collins in his trademark dry humor. “I’m very cautious when it comes to color selection.”

And Collins reminded everyone that just because classes were out towards the end of the month, that didn’t mean that nothing would be happening over the summer. Far from it, actually, he said.

He noted the existing Middletown High School at 130 Valley Road would be the center of significant activity over the summer to help start its transformation into Valley Elementary School.

The goal, he said, was to get as much work done before the building was back in session for high schoolers on Aug. 27. 

If all goes according to plan, the 2026-2027 school year will be the building’s last as a high school. The aim is to open the facility for grades 2-5 for the start of the 2027-2028 school year 

Using a detailed plan with many moving parts, Collins said elevator, roofing, ceiling and mechanical systems work was planned as well as potentially sprinkler systems over the summer.

The cafetorium and gym would also be painted and prepped because both spaces would be integral for staging and storage in Summer 2027 during the conversion to Valley Elementary School as well as administrative and maintenance offices.

He said visitors might have noticed storage units and construction trailers already on the Valley Road site in anticipation of work beginning shortly after the last day of classes on June 24.

While work was ongoing at the Valley Road site, Collins said his team of custodians and maintenance will be solely tending to the district’s other schools. Then, in the last week of the school summer, the district’s entire facilities crew will bring the high school up to speed for the first day of classes.

That way, he said the construction workers there have the maximum amount of time to cover as much ground as possible so the Summer 2027 is more about finishing touches.

“We’re getting everything we can done that we feel is constructive,” Collins said of the Valley Elementary School work.

Concluding his report, Collins said the schematic design work for proposed work to turn  the Forest Avenue School into a prekindergarten to grade 1 learning center was getting close to wrapping up.

The aim, he said, was to present designs to the council for consideration at an upcoming meeting, hopefully within the next month or two. 

If the Forest Avenue School project is approved by the council, Aquidneck School will be put into service for the 2027-2028 school year as the district’s prekindergarten through first grade school while Forest Avenue is converted into an early learning center.

When all the work is done, every school in the district will be new or have gone through extensive renovations. 

All the funding for the school work is being paid for out of a $190 million bond approved by voters in November 2023 and related funding. Importantly, the state has pledged to reimburse the town 55 percent of all eligible costs for the work, or 55 cents on every dollar.

Document Link: https://mdl.town/NYCU-Motion

About Middletown

The Town of Middletown is a vibrant municipality located on Aquidneck Island, known for its scenic beauty, historic landmarks, diverse economy and strong sense of community. For more information about all we have to offer, visit MiddletownRI.gov online.

Media Contact

Matt Sheley

Public Affairs Officer

401-842-6543

msheley@middletownri.gov