R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-9-6
If any town has already passed or shall pass a vote to erect a schoolhouse or to enlarge a schoolhouse lot, and the school committee shall fix upon a location for the schoolhouse in the town or shall determine that a school lot ought to be enlarged, the school committee of the town shall, within six (6) months from the date of the passage of a resolution by the school committee to take any land for these purposes, file in the records of land evidence for the town a description of the land, and also a plat of the land, and a statement that the land is taken pursuant to the provisions of §§ 16-9-5 to 16-9-8, which description and statement shall be signed by the chairperson or president of the school committee, and upon the filing of the description, statement, and plat, the title in fee simple of the land shall vest in the town. After the filing of the description, statement, and plat, notice of the taking of the land shall be served upon the owners of and persons having an estate in and interested in the land by the town sergeant of the town leaving a true and attested copy of the description and statement with each of the persons personally, or at their last and usual place of abode in this state with some person living there, and, in case any persons are absent from this state and have no last and usual place of abode in this state occupied by any person, or in case the whereabouts of any persons are unknown to the town sergeant, the copy shall be left with the persons, if any, in charge of or having possession of the land taken of the absent person and persons whose whereabouts are unknown, and another copy of the description and statement shall be mailed to the address of the absent persons if they are known to the officer. After the filing of the description and statement, the town clerk of the town shall cause a copy of the description and statement to be published in some newspaper published in the county in which the town is located at least twice a week for three (3) successive weeks. If any party shall agree with the school committee for the price of the land so taken, the agreed price shall immediately be paid to that party by the town.
R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-9-6