By JACLYN GODDETTE
NEW LONDON -— The Kearsarge Regional School District (KRSD) School Board voted to allow cooperative sports teams with Mount Royal Academy during its Feb. 22 meeting.
The agreement will allow Mount Royal to send students to KRSD to play on sports teams that the Sunapee private school does not offer.
Athletic Director Scott Fitzgerald explained that the issue arose because a current Mount Royal student that lives in the district and plays football for Kearsarge is unable to play basketball or track for Mount Royal.
According to regulations, students are not allowed to represent more than one school in the same year.
Creating a co-op would allow this student to play different sports for both schools and widen the available options for all other Mount Royal athletes.
The New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association allows for two or more school districts to pool their resources and athletes when necessary.
In turn, Kearsarge will potentially benefit from having additional students to fill out a roster. Fitzgerald cited baseball and football as two sports at Kearsarge that often lack enough players.
The cost of playing will be covered by an agreed upon rate, and Kearsarge will not be responsible for transportation.
“This won’t cost us anything,” explained Fitzgerald. “It’s more of a neighborly gesture.”
Kearsarge students will not be able to play for Mount Royal as it is a private school. Furthermore, Mount Royal does not have any sports programs that the district does not already offer.
A member of the public asked Fitzgerald if the co-opt would prevent Kearsarge students from playing sports that fill up quickly, such as soccer.
Fitzgerald replied that Kearsarge students would always be given priority over Mount Royal students.
The board also discussed the district’s approach towards school safety in reference to the recent shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., during Thursday’s meeting.
“This is not a wake up call for us,” said Superintendent Winfried Feneberg, “we have for years been making steady improvements.”
Feneberg referenced a grant the board accepted at their last meeting that will equip the district several new security cameras and safety vestibules.
Feneberg also invited District Safety Administrator Steve Potoczak to update and provide additional detail to the board on the district’s measures.
The board discussed reexamining the feasibility of placing a school resource officer at the middle and high schools.
The next board meeting is Thursday, March 15. The board reminded the public that Election Day would be held Tuesday, March 13.
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