Warwick Transition

Warwick approved to open new school district

Congratulations, Warwick!

On 12/27/22, the MA Commissioner of Education approved Warwick's departure from PVRSD and the creation of a new PreK-12 school district in Warwick.

What does this mean?

As of July 1, 2023, our district will will no longer include Warwick. The three remaining towns are Bernardston, Leyden, and Northfield.

Where will Warwick students attend school?

Warwick students in grades PreK-6 will attend the Warwick Community School. Warwick families, like all families in our state, may elect to participate in the school choice program when seats are available in other districts.

Warwick students in grades 7-12 may attend Pioneer Valley Regional School via a tuition agreement (see linked document below).

What is the financial impact on the district?

PVRSD will lose revenue in two main ways: We lose Chapter 70 aid from the state that is tied to each student enrolled with us, and we will lose the town assessment that Warwick pays each year.

Fortunately, we have been working over the past year to plan for this transition. Our FY24 Budget Development webpage provides information about our plan for managing the financial impact of the Warwick departure.

Read the three Warwick Transition documents

Transition Agreement

Warwick Transition Agreement, signed 12/15/22

Tuition Agreement

Warwick Tuition Agreement, signed 12/15/22

Retiree Cost Participation Agreement

Warwick Retiree Cost Participation Agreement, signed 12/15/22

Warwick Transition: SC Presentation, 9/8/22

View the 9/8/22 presentation on the Warwick Transition to the PVRSD School Committee.

The Warwick Transition Process
September 2022 Update

In the spring of 2020, Warwick residents voted at Town Meeting, in accordance with the process outlined in the Regional District Agreement, to withdraw from Pioneer Valley Regional School District and create their own town-based district.

The new district will educate elementary students at the Warwick Community School and will have a tuition agreement with PVRSD so that older students may attend Pioneer Valley Regional School.

The Warwick Transition Subcommittee of the PVRSD School Committee has collaborated with colleagues in Warwick for two years to develop a Transition Agreement, a Tuition Agreement, and a Retirement Contribution Participation Agreement. Together, these agreements will facilitate the town’s orderly and equitable withdrawal from the district.

In addition, both parties have been in ongoing communication with DESE.

Warwick Transition Subcommittee

Michele Giarusso (Chair)

Karen O’Neil

Nathan Swartz

Warwick Transition Working Group
Diana Noble
David Young
Jess Marshall
Susan Hollins

DESE’s role in the transition

DESE must approve the Transition Agreement and has, therefore, been providing support and guidance throughout the development of the document.

The Agreement Documents

The two parties have been working collaboratively to complete a Transition Agreement, Tuition Agreement, and Retirement Contribution Participation Agreement that:

provide all four towns with a road map for how the transition will proceed;

facilitate the transition in an orderly, positive manner;

detail how Warwick will meet its future financial obligations, including Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) and pension, using annual payments to PVRSD;

clarify the tuition Warwick will pay for students who attend PVRS;

represent the interests of both parties in an equitable and reasonable manner; and,

meet the approval of DESE.