Rhode Island officials on hand to welcome students back to school

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Students with Providence Public Schools returned to the classroom Tuesday.

City and state officials were on campuses to welcome students back and to highlight the new school buildings ready just in time for the first day of class.

The Providence School District unveiled five new redesigned schools for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Delsesto Middle School on Springfield Street has been transformed into a “steam academy.”

It’s a way of integrating science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics into school activities.

The Juanita Sanchez Complex also debuted its new science labs.

Improvements were also made at Hope High School, Mount Pleasant High School and Dr. Jorge Alvarez High School.

This comes as the state maintains control over the Providence Public School District for the next three years.

This comes after a state panel approved the education commissioner Angelica Infante-Green’s recommendation last week.

The Providence Public School District has a $1 billion school facility plan that aims to provide new facilities to all Providence students by 2030.

Pleasant View Elementary is now officially open, and the district also broke ground on on Harry Kizirian and Mary Fogarty Elementary School, which will make the transition into pre-k through eighth grade.

As part of the $1 billion plan, Providence voters will also consider a $400 million dollar school construction bond this November.

Meanwhile, Providence schools is using new technology to improve safety at bus stops.

The district’s bus fleet is fitted with cameras that will detect cars illegally passing stopped buses, and share their license plates with police.

The cameras are officially in use and they’ll be used to immediately to start sending out warnings.

Enforcement will officially start on October 1, with fines starting at $250.