Robert Biehl, English teacher at Old Rochester Regional High School, announced a new field trip the English Department will offer next April vacation that will take students to England and Scotland.
The Old Rochester Regional School Committee approved the proposed trip during its meeting on April 25.
Biehl said the tentative dates for the trip are April 11-20, and the trip will start in London, head up to Bath where students will visit William Shakespeare’s birthplace nearby, then over to Stonehenge and then north to Scotland, concluding the trip in the capital of Edinburgh.
The tour will cost $3,121 per student, with payment plans offered by the travel agency and fundraising options available as well to offset the cost.
The ratio will be six students per chaperone, “And I’m hoping to have about 18 to 20 students,” said Biehl, adding that he has a strong indication that student interest in the trip is high.
And being an English Department trip, plenty of educational opportunities such as trips to the theater and other historical landmarks incorporating literature will be offered.
School Committee member Heather Burke expressed concern over the possibility of missed school days should the trip dates change, but ORR High School Principal Mike Devoll said, much like the recent trip to China, students would not experience a negative impact should the trip cause one or two missed days of school.
“I think one of the benefits of our every other day schedule is that if you miss two days, you’re only missing one day of classes,” said Devoll. “And who’s going to argue with the education value? …The teachers have been more than flexible and they’re excused absences.”
“It sounds like a wonderful trip and a great experience,” said Assistant Superintendent Elise Frangos.
In other matters, Frangos said that in her work with the Healthy Tri-Town Coalition she has been working with some students to develop a school-based public service announcement project.
PSA posters created by students will be hung in restrooms throughout the junior and high schools to assist students in getting emotional support for specific relationship problems.
“The students that I’m working with are worried about students who maybe experience unhealthy unsafe or disrespectful relationships,” Frangos said.
The posters will suggest where students may find help either in school or via anonymous hotlines.
Frangos said Mattapoisett Public Health Nurse Amanda Stone also lent her support towards the project, and posters should be installed in ORR restrooms in May.
“It’s been a very exciting process in terms of seeing [the students] do this project-based learning and want to serve each other as student leaders,” said Frangos. “Our objective is to make sure that resources for help are obtained by all.”
The next meeting of the Old Rochester Regional School Committee is scheduled for June 6 at 6:30 pm in the ORR Junior High School media room.
Old Rochester Regional School Committee
By Jean Perry