City adding two schools to property sell-off list

September 15, 2012

Fifth Avenue Elementary School, above, and Second Avenue Elementary School are slated to be ready for turnover to the city by the end of October.

WOONSOCKET — The city's list of former school buildings it wants to sell off is about to get longer.
The School Committee heard this past week that two elementary schools no longer in use by the department, the Second Avenue and Fifth Avenue elementary buildings, should be ready for turnover to the city by the end of October.
School Department Facilities Director Peter Fontaine told the committee that the small Second Avenue building, used for school department programs until last year, is practically cleaned out and should be ready for turnover within a short period of time. Fifth Avenue, which the department closed just before the start of school, still contains many materials from 1st and 2nd grade classes moved to other schools under the cost-savings closing, and won't be ready for transfer to city control until the end of October, he said.
Teachers who moved to Coleman and Bernon Heights left behind classroom supplies, books and magazines that may be needed at their new schools.
The teachers will be asked to visit the school to see if there is anything else they wish to have moved in the next two weeks, Fontaine said. At that point, the district will take steps to dispose of or reuse anything that remains.

Read more in our print edition.