Newport Public Schools and the Newport City Council will hold competing meetings Tuesday night, with Superintendent Colleen Burns Jermain calling on families and community members to turn out for the council’s special budget meeting even as the School Committee conducts interviews for an interim superintendent at the same time.
The City Council convenes at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 43 Broadway, to revisit the city’s proposed FY2027 budget on first reading.
According to the docket filed with the city clerk, councilors will first take up a resolution from Councilors Stephanie Smyth and Elizabeth Pinnock to remove the FY2027 budget from the table. If approved, the council will move into the budget itself, including the budget change sheet, the proposed Capital Improvement Program schedule, civic support services, the ordinance appropriating revenues on first reading, and the personnel ordinance on first reading.
In a message to families and the community Tuesday morning, Jermain said the council’s 4% increase to the school budget still leaves the district with a $2.1 million gap — meaning the increase alone is not enough to bring back staff members slated for reductions.
“It is important that it is clear that even with the 4% increase in the City budget, we still have a $2.1M gap, so this increase alone does not enable us to bring back any staff members,” Jermain wrote.
She said there are “creative solutions” the district may be able to pursue with the council to maintain current staffing, including setting aside an account for out-of-district special education costs, supporting the district’s OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) payments, or having the city take over electric costs for Rogers High School.
Public comment will be taken. Jermain noted that council members have already received written testimony from residents and said those comments “do make a difference as they go through the final phases of setting a budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.”
The administration will be on hand at City Hall to answer questions and advocate for restoring some of the planned reductions, Jermain said.
School Committee tied up with interim superintendent interviews
The School Committee will not be at tonight’s council budget meeting. Members will instead be conducting interviews for an interim superintendent at the same hour — a scheduling conflict created when the council meeting was rescheduled.
Joining the committee for those interviews will be representatives from the Teachers Association of Newport (TAN), Council 94, and a parent representative. Jermain thanked those community members for participating.
The interim superintendent search has drawn public scrutiny in recent weeks. In a letter to the editor published earlier this month, School Committee Chair James Dring addressed what he described as misinformation surrounding the process, explaining that the committee is hiring an interim leader — not a permanent superintendent — because of uncertainty over whether school regionalization with Middletown will appear on the November ballot. Dring said the position was publicly posted on School Spring, applications were scored by the district’s Human Resources team, and top candidates would be interviewed before a selection is made.
Jermain, who is retiring at the end of June after nearly 12 and a half years as superintendent, will be succeeded by the interim leader during the transitional period.
How to participate
Residents who cannot attend the council meeting in person can view it live through Newport RI View on Granicus. Jermain encouraged those planning to attend to arrive early and carpool if possible, or to email council members ahead of the hearing.
City Council email addresses provided by the district:
- cholder@newportri.gov
- lceglie@newportri.gov
- xay@newportri.gov
- jnapolitano@newportri.gov
- ssmyth@newportri.gov
- epinnock@newportri.gov
- dcarlin@newportri.gov
Newport Public Schools has been navigating the shortfall for weeks. Jermain previously told families that closing the gap without cuts would likely require a restructuring for the 2026-27 school year.
