By Chris Barber
Contributing Writer

Members of the Kennett School Board faced the disappointment of a noteworthy student field trip cancellation but vowed not to give up on it just yet.

The trip was first announced at the June 9 school board meeting, where the board unanimously gave its approval to a proposed trip to China for 60 members of the high school chorus and eight chaperones, including Superintendent Kimberly Rizzo Saunders and choir director Ryan Battin, from Nov. 7 to 15.

The only cost to the participants would be travel to JFK Airport and health insurance, but it was announced later that the total cost covered by the backers would exceed $3,500 per student.

This trip, as described by Rizzo Saunders, was to be “an exciting opportunity for Kennett students, not only to perform internationally but also to connect with new cultures, new friends, and new perspectives.”

The climax of the trip was to be a performance by the Kennett and Chinese students of a partner school.

In June, Rizzo Saunders issued this statement:

“Experiences like this help students grow as global citizens, building the kind of understanding and cooperation that make our young people better understand geopolitics. This vision aligns with the goals of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, whose mission is to foster peace and intercultural understanding, support quality education, protect cultural heritage and diversity and encourage international cooperation.”

It was to be financed by UNESCO and an unidentified contact mentioned at the meeting as “Mr. Tang.”

By the Sept. 8 meeting, however, the situation had changed.

Rizzo Saunders announced, “Unfortunately, the recent decision by the United States to withdraw from UNESCO has put this opportunity at risk, since much of the financial support was tied to that partnership.”

Rizzo Saunders said that they are not giving up hope that the trip can still happen.

“A lot of time and energy have already gone into planning, and a meeting is scheduled to look for other funding options. Our goal is to keep this opportunity alive so Kennett students can still benefit from the cultural exchange and unforgettable experiences that come with international travel,” she said.

Although he did not call it “consolation,” Battin later in the meeting did receive approval for a choir overnight field trip to Gretna Glen Camp and Retreat Center in Lebanon that is offered to students who had auditioned for the top Chamber Choir.

He said the cost of that trip is $240 for each student, of which they had to pay about $120 each.

In other business at the meeting, board member Vicki Gehrt announced that early childhood programs as the Engle Education Center for 173 learners from birth to kindergarten, is ready to provide services including preschool special education, Head Start, and Early Head Start services. These include classrooms for speech and language, developmental delays, and autism support, along with family services and upcoming food and clothing pantries.

The Engle Education Center is housed in the same building as the Avon Grove School District’s former middle school. That center was created by a revitalization of the middle school when Avon Grove’s middle school program moved to the former high school, and a new high school was built in Jennersville.

There are political questions involved in these programs, however. Earlier in the summer, President Donald Trump revoked funds for undocumented students attending Head Start. But later, according to a recent report by the American Civil Liberties Union, a federal judge has blocked Trump’s revocation of funds for those undocumented students at Head Start.

Gehrt said as far as she knows, the funds are there, and she has not been notified that they are gone. The district is also proceeding with a program to evaluate and upgrade its student counseling programs. Involved in the project are the Chester County Intermediate Unit, the Kennett school staff and the school district’s stakeholders.