Warwick School Committee Approves Policy Changes, Defers Junior Kindergarten Tuition Vote

WARWICK -- January 7, 2026, Warwick School Committee defers junior kindergarten tuition decision, approves policy changes, and opens superintendent search. Meeting January 7 with all five members present, the committee unanimously approved revisions to two BHC communications policies, removing language requiring full committee authorization for school visits and streamlining the chain-of-command provision. Chair Diana Noble and member Alan Genovese reported that the committee has asked Town Counsel Russell to draft a contract extension for Superintendent Carol Leonard Miller and is in early discussions with a prospective successor named Tari, Leonard Miller's former mentor. A proposed junior kindergarten tuition increase of either 2.5 percent, adding $22.50 per month per family, or 2.8 percent, in line with the Social Security COLA, was deferred to January 21, pending a clearer budget picture. The committee voted unanimously to advertise a voluntary foundation donation program to help offset before-school early-care costs, rather than impose a fee; the district currently serves roughly 14 junior kindergarten students from 12 families. Genovese raised concerns about a January 1 cutoff date in a draft non-resident enrollment policy, calling it "an anomaly" compared to other districts, and Leonard Miller agreed to research comparable policies before the next meeting.