It seems that the school year has started off well at both Old Rochester Regional Junior High School and Old Rochester Regional High School, with no major complaints from anyone on the School Committee as of Tuesday evening.
“The opening of school went very smoothly,” said Superintendent Doug White. “Everything has gone very well. I’ve been able to get out to all of the schools and spend some time in some classrooms. Both the students and teachers have been handling things well.”
One issue that did occur on the first two days of school was traffic on Route 6
because of the newly approved “Delayed Start Program.”
White said those problems were ironed out with new traffic patterns where Middle School students are dropped off at the Mattapoisett-side entrance of the complex, while High School students are to be dropped off at the Marion-side entrance.
“We feel that it’s a 100% safer situation,” said ORRHS Principal Michael Devoll.
“We think that it’s going well in terms of safety.”
Devoll also said that the Delayed Start Program had gone well for both students and teachers, with teachers and students using the time for planning and constructive free time, respectively.
In other news, the Committee approved an overseas field trip for students at the High School.
A group of teachers led by Judy Pretat, a Latin teacher at the High School, presented the trip, which is scheduled to travel all over Italy. Pretat said the trip would rely on fundraising from the students themselves.
“The students and maybe their parents have to want to do it,” she said, adding that the trip that would take place in February, adding that they wanted at least 16 students for the trip.
In Middle School news, ORRJHS Principal Kevin Brogioli said that this year’s attendance was over 500 students, which is the highest it has been in his five years as principal. He added that they have 10 new staff members as well.
The School Committee also introduced three new members: Cary Humphrey, Christine Marcolini, and Linda Harju. White also added that the district’s Physician, Dr. John Conway of Wareham Pediatrics, had retired, but that Dr. Steve Menendes and Dr. Jason Reynolds of Wareham Pediatrics would be taking his place.
Also approved was a waiver to allow around five Junior High School students to join the High School’s hockey team because they will only have about 15 players, with only one senior on the team. He said that this would be the last waiver request of this kind for the school, and that they’d need to reevaluate the state current teams after this school year.
He added that the MIAA had already granted waiver pending the Committee’s approval.
“If we don’t have enough to support our programs with high school students, then we shouldn’t be funding them,” Devoll said.
White also asked that Athletic Director Bill Tilden prepare a “State of Athletic Teams” moving forward so they can see where program stands.
By Nicholas Walecka