Request for club status generates unanimous support from school board
By Kathleen Brady Shea, Managing Editor, The Times
Kennett High Mock Trial Club leaders Krishna Pathak (from left) and Julia Rivera express appreciation for the school board’s support along with Leonard Rivera, one of the group’s volunteer advisors and Julia’s father.
The collective powers of persuasion would have been formidable if representatives of Kennett High’s Mock Trial Team had needed to unleash them at Monday night’s school board meeting.
But the audience proved far less challenging than some of the team’s normal competition – such as when it faces off against other schools on issues such as determining the outcome of a wrongful death suit. Team members Julia Rivera and Krishna Pathak, along with attorney Leonard Rivera, one of the organization’s three advisors, appeared before the board to seek club status for the group.
The request generated one of the routine meeting’s lengthier presentations, but not because the board was unreceptive to the request, which received unanimous approval. Several members had questions, such as who participates – about 35 students ranging from freshman to seniors – and when they meet – after school twice a week. The group said the experience teaches them about the judicial system while promoting teamwork, critical thinking and communications skills.
In response to a question from Board Member Dominic F. Perigo Jr. about the effect of changing the group’s status to a school club, High School Principal Michael Barber said a noticeable difference would be that the group, which has been operating for more than five years, could conduct fund-raising activities. Mark T. Tracey, the district’s assistant to the superintendent, added that the club would now come under the district’s insurance and liability policies.
Leonard Rivera said he and the other advisors – Mary Kay Gaver, a fellow lawyer and parent, and teacher William Fritsch – will continue to donate their time. He said one of the most gratifying aspects of the program is the chance to work with students who are so talented and motivated. “They don’t have the opportunity to stand up and read off a script,” he said. “They really have to be able to think on their feet.”
In other business, Board Member Michael H. Finnegan, who heads the Finance Committee, said the group had met twice since the last board meeting and continues to struggle to hold the line on expenses. He said costs for special education alone have risen by more than $350,000. He said the committee’s goal is to keep any tax increase to a minimum. The next meeting will be Jan. 21, he said.
The board unanimously approved the addition of a scholarship from the Italian American Citizens League (IACL) to the district’s trust fund. The league plans to award $1,000 each to two graduates, one who needs financial assistance and one who has a GPA of 4.0. Perigo, a member of the organization, said the group is excited about the opportunity to serve students. He said IACL has distributed about $18,000 in the region to service groups such as the Kennett Food Cupboard and fire companies.
Unanimous approval was also granted to a request from Anne Carroll, a high school mathematics teacher, who wants to pilot a new statistics assessment in the spring designed to measure students’ command of statistical concepts and statistical literacy. Parental permission would be required for students to participate. Barber said if the school is accepted for the pilot, the assessment would take about 90 minutes. If the school achieves 100 percent participation, it would earn a stipend that would go to the district, Barber said.
Finally, Board Member Rudy Alfonso, a former Naval aviation officer, followed up on a promise to brief the board on his efforts to explore a Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) for the district. Alfonso said he spoke with the regional director for the Navy and learned that no startup funds are available for JROTC, a program that includes courses taught by retired military officers and emphasizes citizenship, character, and community service. He said he learned that the Air Force may have some resources, and he will continue to pursue options.
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