PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - A private Rhode Island elementary laboratory school that for years had been affiliated with Rhode Island College has announced a merger with Providence Country Day School.
The 122-year-old Henry Barnard School had faced closure in June, after Rhode Island College announced last summer that the school would close due to budget concerns, The Providence Journal reported Tuesday. The college used the school as a place to train its education students.
When PCD head of school Kevin Folan learned of the possible closure from a Barnard parent, he approached his board about forging a partnership between the private schools.
Scott Bromberg, president of the Barnard Parents Association, was on board with the idea.
“This will give our school the stability it deserves,” he said.
Bromberg said the two schools’ educational missions are similar.
PCD plans to build a new school for Henry Barnard but that will take three to five years, Folan said. Meanwhile Henry Barnard will stay at its current location at RIC.
“Once we bring them to our campus it will be called the Henry Barnard Lower School at Providence Country Day,” he said.
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