MANCHESTER – U.S. Navy ROTC students at the township high school who missed their last competition of the year due to a communication error last month may see alternative arrangements being made for them, according to school officials.
The ROTC students had a competition drill meet at Rancocas Valley High School on March 18. A bus was to have taken them to that event. They needed associate drill equipment and uniforms among other drill meet items for the competition from MTHS. When they arrived at the school to pick up their equipment and supplies that Saturday morning, they discovered the school doors were locked. There was no cost for the bus, but for the driver.
School Superintendent John Berenato held a special meeting with the building administrators at MTHS the Monday after the incident. They expressed to him that this was an unfortunate breakdown in communication between the high school building staff regarding who and how the high school would be opened at 5 a.m. that Saturday so that students could access competition equipment.
The driver will be paid a “show-up fee” of two hours, time at a half at an $18.38/hour rate.
Berenato said this had never occurred before and was truly unconventional. The staff also held a meeting with the parents and students providing them a full explanation.
The superintendent told The Manchester Times that MTHS is looking to revise procedures to ensure this won’t happen again. “Unfortunately, we cannot create a new drill competition for the ROTC students but the school district is working on a field trip to Battleship New Jersey for these students.”
The ROTC is also in the process of being invited to additional Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst events. “We are working together with our JB-MDL partners to help make these exclusive opportunities available for the ROTC students to participate in,” Berenato added.
The Navy ROTC program began in the school district during the 2000-2001 school year. This year there are approximately 100 students in the program. They are involved in various community/school service projects. The program advisor is John Holtzer.
On May 19 they will be at the Joint Base for the Power in the Pines Air Show and during the week of May 22 will take part in Memorial Day ceremonies. They will also participate on May 27 at the annual flag planting at the NJ Memorial Park Cemetery in Whiting and will return there for a Memorial Day ceremony on May 29.
Each year about three to five students move on to careers in the military. Last year there were 11 students that moved on to military careers.
