Elementary day grows 10 minutes and start times change

What happened

On July 15, 2026 the committee voted unanimously to add 10 minutes to the elementary school day from 2026-27. Rhode Island requires 330 instructional minutes a day. Since 2018 Woonsocket had been allowed to count extra recess minutes toward that total, but the state education department told districts this spring that recess no longer counts. The extra 10 minutes go on the end of the day: Bernon Heights, the Pothier-Citizens campus and Savoie will run 8:45 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Coleman, Harris and Globe Park 9:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Why it matters to families

Pickup moves ten minutes later at every elementary school, which affects after-school care, work schedules and older siblings. The change is not optional: without it the district would fall below the state's minimum instructional time.

The evidence

The approved July 15, 2026 minutes record the unanimous vote, the 330-minute state requirement, the state's decision that recess minutes may no longer count, and the new bell times for all six elementary schools.

The source