GHS seniors take board member to task

The Gilford School Board last evening gained an unusual, if not unwelcome insight into the caliber of students attending Gilford High School (GHS).

Meeting at the Michael Tocci Library at Gilford Elementary School, the board’s agenda was heavily weighted toward discussion of the upcoming school deliberative session which will be held at the auditorium at GHS beginning at 7 p.m. this Thursday.

But members of both the GHS senior and junior class made an appearance, with the seniors complaining about what they viewed as insulting comments made at last month’s meeting by board member Margo Weeks.

Senior Class president Nicholas Resca made it clear that he and class members were offended by Weeks’ comments regarding the planned class trip to Orlando in May. Weeks, who questioned the need to travel 1,800 miles “to bond” suggested that the school district should not be exposing itself to the risks of having students traveling to a location such as Orlando with the school board’s approval.

Weeks had cited the Natalie Holloway case, where the Birmingham, Alabama girl in Aruba on a senior class trip disappeared after being seen in a nightclub. Resca intimated that the Holloway reference inferred that Gilford’s students and their chaperones couldn’t be trusted.

“I feel some of the comments were negative toward the class and the faculty as well,” Resca said, suggesting that if the board were to look at the record of the Class of 2006, it would find that it was one of, if not the best and most responsible ever to pass through the doors at GHS. “I believe the Class of 2006 is being held accountable for the Class of 2005.”

Resca went on to say that he believed the school board should hold he and his classmates in higher regard.

His mother, Christine Resca, expressed similar views. “The kids need and deserve more credit than they’ve been given,” she said, recalling that in her many years of chaperoning Gilford students she’s always found them to represent the town and the school favorably.

Board chair Paul Blandford assured Resca and the senior class that the board doesn’t have disrespect for the class. “We were having an open discussion about the issue, and board members were expressing their concerns,” he said. Although he did not refer directly to Weeks’ comments, he did suggest that the offending comments were not a reflection of the board’s position. The fact that the board ultimately approved the trip last month supports that position.

Weeks offered somewhat of an apology for her remarks last month. “My comments were not meant to reflect on the Class of 2006,” she said, admitting that she didn’t know the Class of 2006.

The juniors appeared seeking approval of a switch from Wednesday, May 17 to Friday, May 19 an in-service day planned for teachers. Having already sought and obtained an endorsement for the plan from the building principals and from the Gilford Education Association, the class explained to the board that the desired change was requested so that students would be dismissed early on May 19 — the night of their prom — instead of on May 17.

Superintendent Paul DeMinico and principal Ken Wiswell joined in applauding the students for their navigation of the bureaucratic maze in gaining approval, and endorsed the plan. The board voted unanimously to allow the switch.