Return to school
First day of school for K-12 students is Tuesday, Aug. 31, with an abbreviated day for kindergarten students. First day of school for pre-k students is Friday, Sept. 3. The middle school and high school day runs from 7:55 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. The North Smithfield Elementary School day is from 8:45 a.m. to 3:10 p.m.
Bus routes and times are available at: https://www.dattcoschoolbus.com/my-childs-route/?did=6.
Universal free breakfast and lunch have been extended into the new school year. If students want just milk there is a $ .75 charge. Milk is free only when served as part of a complete breakfast or lunch.
Screening #9
The Museum of Work & Culture will present Slatersville Preview Screening #9 on Friday & Saturday, Sept. 3 & 4 at 1:30 p.m. Critically-acclaimed filmmaker, Christian de Rezendes will present a special screening of the historical documentary series, Slatersville: America’s First Mill Village, which will premiere on Rhode Island PBS in the fall of 2022. This event will combine two previously seen stories leading up to a newly edited piece, which altogether tells one dramatic story: “The Wedding Present with 27 Rooms”, “Uncle Johnny” and, “Anything but…Brotherly,” which will be seen for the first time.
The program will run between 60 and 70 minutes, followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker. It will only be viewable in its entirety at the Museum of Work and Culture.
Admission is free, but seating is limitedand reservations are encouraged.RSVP at mowc@rihs.org.
Pantry seeks tuna & beans
The North Smithfield Food Pantry has announced that September pick-up dates will be Tuesdays, Sept. 21 and 28 at 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays, Sept. 18 and 25 at 10 a.m.
The pantry serves North Smithfield residents and they must have a photo ID and a bill that confirms your North Smithfield address. Visitors can attend the food pantry all four times it is open per month, located at the Slatersville Congregational Church UCC on the Common. Due to the pandemic, the food is distributed through a drive through at the church, and visitors are asked to stay in the car and line up on Green Street. Guests are also asked to wear masks.
Questions can be directed to (401) 678-0356.
For the month of September, the food pantry is asking for donations of tuna, beans and canned fruit.
Volunteers needed for Clean & Green Day
North Smithfield’s Clean & Green Day has been scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 25, and will focus on highly littered areas of town, with a list of potential locations targeted for work including areas of Greene Street, Victory Highway, Iron Mine Hill Road and many more roadways. Volunteers can also register to choose their own area of town, or to help out wherever it’s most needed.
Registration is not limited to North Smithfield residents, and volunteers from all walks of life are welcome to sign up.
In 2018, 419 Clean & Green Day volunteers picked up 3.43 tons of trash from more than 40 miles of roadway in North Smithfield according to the committee, which also aims to promote recycling and litter education throughout the year.
The cleanup will begin with registration at 8 a.m. at Town Hall on Greene Street, where volunteers will pick up T-shirts and supplies. Cleaners are invited to enjoy coffee and doughnuts before heading out to pick up trash, and are encouraged to post photos of their efforts with hashtags on social media. The group will blanket the town from 9 a.m. to noon, with trash pickers in hand, likely ridding North Smithfield of tons of litter.
Those who register before September 1 are guaranteed a T-shirt in their chosen size.
To register for North Smithfield’s 18th Clean & Green Day visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0845aaae23aaf85-nsclean2
Town meetings
The North Smithfield Municipal Buildings Review Task Force will hold a meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 31 starting at 5:30 p.m. at the North Smithfield Police Station at 575 Smithfield Road. The agenda can be found here.
The Halliwell Review Committee will hold a meeting on Thursday, Sept. 2 starting at 6:30 p.m. in the Town Council chambers at 83 Greene St. The agenda can be found here.
