As the parent of a current North Kingstown High School student, I have seen these court conditions firsthand and am bringing this petition on behalf of NKHS students, athletes, and the wider community.

We are calling for urgent action to repair and replace the deteriorating tennis courts at North Kingstown High School (NKHS).

The condition of the NKHS tennis courts has deteriorated to the point of being unsafe for students, youth participants, and community members. As documented in a brief video, the courts suffer from deep cracks, ripped and broken patches, crumbling surfaces, and slippery surface buildup. These conditions pose serious risks of injury to athletes and recreational users and diminish the pride our community places in its public facilities.

Three of the six courts are now unusable. The remaining courts contain extensive cracks and surface hazards, leaving no playable court that meets acceptable safety standards.

As a direct result, the NKHS girls' tennis team currently plays its home matches off-site at Lawn School courts in Jamestown, RI — courts with no decent restroom facilities available for the 40 to 60 players, coaches, and family members who attend. Students from North Kingstown are being bused out of town to play because their own school cannot provide a safe court.

According to professional assessments by Westboro Tennis and Boston Tennis & Sport Court, the current court surfaces — installed in the early 2000s — have exceeded their expected lifespan and can no longer be patched. Comprehensive replacement is required to ensure both safety and functionality.

This issue extends beyond school athletics. Each summer, the North Kingstown Recreation Department hosts youth tennis programs on these same courts, serving dozens of children and teenage instructors who are now exposed to unsafe playing conditions. This is not limited to interscholastic sports — it is a community safety concern affecting residents of all ages.

With the boys' tennis team set to begin its spring season on these same courts, this window to act is closing. Without immediate intervention, a second NKHS team will be forced to play on unsafe surfaces or displaced to another town's facilities, just as the girls' team has been.

We recognize that budgets are constrained and priorities must be carefully managed. Nevertheless, the time has come for the district and town leadership to address this longstanding issue with transparency and urgency. The courts at North Kingstown High School should reflect our community's commitment to student wellness, recreational access, and civic pride.

We respectfully request that the North Kingstown School Department, in partnership with the Town of North Kingstown and other relevant departments, take immediate steps to:

• Conduct an official safety and condition assessment of all six NKHS tennis courts.
• Allocate or pursue funding for full removal and reconstruction of the existing court surfaces.
• Establish a clear timeline for repair or replacement, with a target of completion prior to the 2027 athletic and recreation seasons.

By signing, we affirm our support for this petition and our shared belief that safe, well-maintained tennis facilities are essential to the health, safety, and success of our students and community.