SAUGUS — The School Committee’s Athletic Subcommittee discussed the academic standing of athletes at the Middle High School Complex, with Chair Dennis Gould asking what the protocol was and how the progress has been, on Wednesday.
Principal Carla Scuzzarella noted that the school’s policy is no Fs, exceeding the MIAA standard of two Fs.
“We’re above the MIAA so that we have the ability to work with kids to get them eligible to the MIAA standard. The MIAA standard is the lowest there is. Ours is higher. (Athletic Director) Matt (Serino) and I worked on that, and we have not had any kids not eligible,” Scuzzarella said.
She said that the students have the opportunity to have a weekly progress report signed by teachers, saying they have improved and stayed after school to do the work.
“We’re trying to encourage the work and to show there’s accountability,” she said.
Serino said that, while the standards the school is setting are stricter, it gives the students a chance to continue to meet eligibility.
“And there are some kids who haven’t played the following week because they didn’t meet the criteria,” Serino said.
Scuzzarella said that there is no wiggle room with the MIAA policy.
“If they don’t make it, they’re ineligible. This gives us the wiggle room to have a meeting with the kid, the parent, and say, ‘OK, you have to show that you’re staying after school.’ At least in all my years I’ve been a principal, I’ve found that this is a better motivator,” she said.
Serino added, “And when you tell a kid they’re ineligible, then they shut down, and they don’t want to do anything.”
The goal of this is to not punish the athletes but to find the best way to support them and keep them playing.
