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WE'RE
FIGHTING
BACK!
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Message sent clearly — Keep Dale!
by Kaz Endo, Alumni President
(Jan.
16, 2004)
If you drove by SJS on Thursday night, you would have sworn
that the SENIORS were either graduating, or putting on a
play ... but instead people — in this case teachers,
students, BOT members and alumni were attending SJS's version
of the "Return of the King".
The PTA had called the first meeting of the new year, and
the number one agenda on everyone's mind was the sudden
retirement of Dr. Dale Jenkins.
When it was all said and done, the 'whys?' were not answered
by the BOT or the HEADMASTER (no surprise there), but what
was clearly answered was the need to keep Dr. Jenkins at
SJS and to have Mrs. Jenkins (Kedel) return as pre-k teacher
as soon as humanly possible.
To much of our surprise and delight, Dr. Jenkins himself
appeared at the meeting and presented a touching and highly
entertaining speech addressed almost entirely to his 2004
Senior Class. Much to everyone's expectation and relief,
Dr. Jenkins squashed any speculation that he did anything
wrong — criminal or otherwise.
True to his good nature, Dr. Jenkins also apologized to
the Seniors, parents, teachers and alumni that so many people
are hurting because of what was done to him.
Although Dr. Jenkins himself has been forced into silence
due to the Non-disclosure clause, it became painfully apparent
that he was 'forced' out of the school by the powers that
be (although he did not address it directly) when he answered
a question posed by a concerned parent "Dr. J, if the
BOT asked you to come back, would you?"
Dr. Jenkins after some pause replied, "I never wanted
to leave." Afterwards, Dr. Jenkins received applause,
a roar of approval and a standing ovation by his peers,
students, alumni , parents and friends.
I will find it hard to believe that after all that has been
said and done, that this BOT and HEADMASTER will not have
the compassion to bring Dale back to school as upper school
principal and thus automatically bringing back Kedel to
her beloved pre-k children.
But
then again, I never expected Dale to leave either.
I guess both Dale and I have something in common.
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