KENNETT SQUARE - It's the variety of clubs at St. Patrick School that
impresses science teacher Joanna Fabii.
"I've never been in any school that has this kind of a
program," she said. "The kids can try all sorts of
different avenues to do things."
Principal Margaret Mecca said she decided at the beginning of
this school year that the school's 60 sixth, seventh and eighth
graders needed a change from recess. So she carved out time in their
schedule and now, from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday,
they have their choice of clubs - among them drama, art, cooking,
photography, technology, sports and study skills.
Eighth grader Drew Loftus said he enjoyed the cooking club. He
made pizza, dessert pancakes, tacos and "smoothies" in the
school kitchen.
"I just like to cook and eat," he said.
Parent Joy Heck, who organized the cooking club, said she picked
appropriate music to cook by - for instance, Santana - and brought
in aprons from home for both boys and girls.
Earlier this year, students in the photography club took pictures
of the flowers growing in the Rev. Victor Sharrett's garden near the
school.
In art teacher Marsha McGlinchey's art club, the girls made
mosaic trays and painted birdhouses. Student Gina Weires' tray
featured a seashore scene with waves, a beach umbrella, and shells.
As part of the advertising club, Michaela Rucci and her friends
prepared a commercial for the school, featuring an original song
about St. Pat's that ended, "Jesus is cool, let's go to school
and have some fun today - hey!"
In the computer lab, supervised by teacher Arlene Maule, students
were designing a banner for the forthcoming Catholic Schools Week.
As part of the technology club, the students were learning
PowerPoint, Excel, Access and MS Office programs - and, as eighth
grader David Ziegler confessed, "I go down there and play
games."
"They have too much fun," Maule said as students
learned to program a "St. Pat's" screen that blinks on and
off. "I can't get them out of here."
"Mrs. Maule, how do you add a text box?" asked
Michaela, working on a presentation on "What St. Pat's Means to
Me."
Katie Alexander is in teacher Tracey Rockett's drama club and
will star as Lady Macbeth in the Chester County Shakespeare Festival
on April 15.
"They love this club," said Rockett, who also serves as
the school librarian. She said she coached her students to
"lose the Philly accent."
Sixth grader Nicki DiSabatino takes part in the art club and the
horse club. Although allergic to horses, she said, she enjoys
learning about horse breeds and watching movies about horses.
Some students said they miss going out for recess - at least on
warm days - but they seemed to enjoy the chance to do something
different for four days a week. (Friday's club time is a study
hall.) And besides, they pointed out, those who miss the playground
can always join the sports club.
"At first, I was kind of upset that we wouldn't have
recess," sixth grader Jaclyn Kogut said. "But now I find
that I always look forward to 2:30 and seeing my friends."
"I think they're cool," said eighth grader Lauren
DiSabatino, Nicki's sister, who added that the cooking and sports
clubs were "a lot better" than recess. Different clubs
meet on various days of the week.
Mecca, the principal, said that she is pleased at how well the
clubs program is going and that she plans to continue it in the next
school year.
"It gives the children time to see that education isn't
strictly algebra or Spanish," she said. "It's important
for them to have other skills to make them the best they can
be."
