Charter school students will be able to participate in high school sports for the first time on the regional high school’s varsity swim team.
Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School students will be able to participate in high school sports for the first time on the regional high school’s varsity swim team. Last week The Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association approved the formation of a cooperative team between the schools for this year.
“It’s been a bumpy road for us, but I think it’s time, and opportunity is on our side,” said charter school director, Robert Moore.
In the past, charter school students who wished to participate in high school sports were unable to. Previously, Mr. Moore had appealed to former principal Stephen Nixon to form a cooperative agreement for students who wished to join the girls’ hockey team, but they were never able to reach an agreement.
“The way the MIAA works, you must have the same principal,” explained current regional high school principal Margaret (Peg) Regan. To circumnavigate this stipulation, the two schools formed a cooperative agreement which is approved case by case and year by year.
Mr. Moore said the regional high school reached out to him when they realized the numbers for the varsity swim team were low. A few students at the charter school have expressed a preliminary interest in joining the team.
“We’re taking it one step at a time,” said Mr. Moore.
Regional high school athletic director Mark McCarthy noted that a number of sports teams have seen a dip in participants this year. They had to cancel junior varsity girls’ soccer, bring in eighth grade players for junior varsity boys’ ice hockey, and had small turnouts for the girls’ cross country team and the football team. Mr. McCarthy cited the small freshman class as a partial reason.
“More kids in a class indicates more kids in a sports program,” he said.
Swim coach Jonathan Chatinover expected a light turnout for the team and approached Mr. McCarthy about including the charter school. Ideally Mr. Chatinover would like to have 15 boys and 15 girls on the team. This year he has six returning boys, five returning girls, and knows of one freshman girl who expressed interest. From the charter school, he has heard interest from three boys and two girls.
Mr. Chatinover said he hopes that when the younger kids who swim for the Makos reach high school age, the team will have a full roster. This is only the fourth year the swim team will operate as a varsity program.
“The swim program is so new, the pool is only five years old,” said Mr. McCarthy. “Those kids who started swimming in third or fourth grade are not at high school yet.”
Sign ups for the swim team will be held on Tuesday Nov. 17. The season begins on Monday Nov. 30.
Comments
I guess necessity is
Edgartown Resident EdgartownI guess necessity is sometimes the mother of fairness.
I couldn't be happier about
Keith EdgartownI couldn't be happier about this. My school is finally able to compete in a high school sport. Go Charter School!
“The swim program is so new,
HS Parent W Tisbury“The swim program is so new, the pool is only five years old,” said Mr. McCarthy. “Those kids who started swimming in third or fourth grade are not at high school yet.”
I'm shocked to hear that the "athletic director" is aware that a swim team exists at all. Those kids, coaches and volunteers have been virtually ignored by the HS since the beginning of the swim program. Some support from McCarthy early on could have gone a long way to help build this excellent program.
The strange part is if they
Edgartown Resident EdgartownThe strange part is if they were in fourth grade five years ago wouldn't that put them in ninth grade now? Must be that new math...
I was the female student who
Charter School Graduate Oak BluffsI was the female student who "wished to join the girls’ hockey team" in the past and I'm extremely happy to hear that Charter School kids are finally able to join in on a High School sports team. All High School sports teams should be open to Charter School students. It is unfair that just because a child chooses to go to a different high school that they are denied participation in a sport they are interested in. The Regional High School does not cater to certain needs and learning methods that some children at the Charter School need to have to learn and succeed. Denying access to their sports teams sends out a message that a child has to choose between a sport and what's best for their education. While in school I explored the option of transferring to the Regional High School just to play sports but ultimately decided to stay at the Charter School because I knew I would not academically succeed in the Regional High Schools learning environment. I'm now a senior in college who is graduating more than a year ahead of the rest of my high school graduation class due to that decision to stay at the Charter School and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I still feel robbed of an opportunity that any student should have to play sports during high school and I hope that no other students in the future have to feel that way. Two schools on a small island should be able to put their differences aside and work together to figure out a situation that is ideal for all students interested in sports. This new cooperation between the schools and varsity swim team will hopefully be the first stepping stone into a cooperation of all sports team.
Couldn't have said it better!
Keith EdgartownCouldn't have said it better!
Is the Charter School going
Concerned Tax Payer EdgartownIs the Charter School going to help with the costs of the teams the students plan on enjoying? Or will that be added to the already overtaxed budget of MVRHS?
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