Loggers’ Run Middle School’s pre-law program is adding a new teacher. Jennifer Kuczler is a past president of the St. Lucie County Bar Association. She worked as a prosecutor in the St. Lucie County State Attorney’s office and does criminal defense and family law in her own firm.
The Palm Beach County School District added pre-law academies to four middle schools only recently. It is a 3-year program that helps prepare students for high school criminology programs and perhaps law-related careers.
Ms. Kuczler expects some changes in the curriculum, with an increased focus on trial work including evidence, objections, and how to behave in a courtroom. There will be somewhat less emphasis on local laws. She would like to give the students exposure to the subjects that form the core curriculum in law school, including criminal law and torts. For the 7th graders in particular she will focus more on constitutional law as that fits well with the civics they will be doing in their social studies class.
Kuczler started at Loggers’ Run teaching 7th grade and 8th civics and US history in November. The timing fits with the school replacing a teacher who had been arrested, though Kuczler doesn’t know anything about that. Last year’s pre-law teacher, Rachael Kelly, will return to teaching social studies.
Coming from a family of teachers, Kuczler enjoys teaching and this career was always in the back of her mind. While she was in the State Attorney’s office she trained new prosecutors and liked doing that. With two small children the change from full-time law practice will give her more time with her family. She will continue to practice on a limited basis and will also continue to be close to the law as her husband does “PIP defense” in a large firm.
