The Hopewell Valley Regional School District has turned to a veteran athletic administrator with more than two decades of experience to oversee its athletics program as the new school year gets underway.
The Board of Education on Aug. 17 appointed Kenneth Mason as interim athletic director, effective Aug. 21, after longtime Athletic Director Winfield “Tripp” Becker was placed on administrative leave following criminal charges in Pennsylvania.
Mason most recently served as interim athletic director in Ewing and has worked as an athletic director and administrator across the region for more than 20 years. Superintendent Dr. Rosetta Treece told the board that Mason previously served as athletic director in Lawrence and has taken on interim assignments in West Windsor-Plainsboro and Plumsted in addition to Ewing.
Treece said bringing in an experienced administrator was a priority with fall sports beginning and the start of school approaching.
“The athletic director position is a very important role, and we want to make sure that sports and our staff and students are taken care of to start the year,” Treece said.
She described Mason as “well qualified” and familiar with the responsibilities of the position.
The board approved Mason at a per diem rate of $600 from Aug. 21 through Sept. 30. Treece subsequently clarified to MercerMe that the Sept. 30 date should not be viewed as a firm end to Mason’s time in the district.
“He’s going to be the AD until further notice,” Treece said.
She said the district can extend the interim appointment if necessary as the situation involving Becker continues to unfold.
Experienced hand as fall sports begin
Mason arrives at Hopewell Valley during one of the busiest periods of the athletic calendar, with fall teams beginning practices and competitions and students preparing to return Sept. 1.
His experience stepping into athletic departments during periods of transition gives the district someone who is already familiar with the administrative demands of the job, including scheduling, coordination with coaches and other districts, staffing and the day-to-day operation of a high school athletic program.
At the Aug. 17 meeting, Treece said the district was “very comfortable” that it had found a temporary replacement while Becker’s situation is resolved.
Mason was still finishing his interim assignment in Ewing before beginning in Hopewell Valley, Treece told MercerMe.
Becker remains on administrative leave
Becker, who has served as Hopewell Valley’s athletic director for more than 10 years, was placed on administrative leave earlier this month after being charged in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
According to the Plumstead Township Police Department, officers responded to a home in the Cabin Run development Aug. 6 after a report of an adult male looking into a young female’s bedroom window. Police said surveillance video captured the incident and investigators identified Becker, whom they described as a neighbor known to the complainant.
Pennsylvania court records show Becker was charged by summons with third-degree misdemeanor loitering and prowling at night and a summary harassment charge. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 8.
The criminal charges are allegations, and Becker is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Treece previously told MercerMe that Becker notified district officials of the charges himself, as required under Board of Education policy, and that the district placed him on administrative leave in accordance with that policy.
“He let us know right away because that’s our board policy,” Treece said at the time, adding that Becker “followed all the proper protocol.”
The district is not conducting its own investigation, Treece said, and will cooperate with Pennsylvania authorities if requested.
At the Aug. 17 board meeting, Treece again emphasized that the allegations do not involve Hopewell Valley students, school property or Becker’s work in the district.
“There’s no allegations that this employee has had any inappropriate conduct in this community, in our school district,” Treece said. “It’s not related to our district students at all.”
Because the matter involves personnel, Treece said she could not provide additional details about Becker’s status but would inform the public if circumstances change.
