April 23, 2020 at 4:08 p.m.
School board hears from seniors on prom, graduation
School board hears from seniors on prom, graduation
Thaddeus Heck, the student representative to the group, addressed the board Monday to convey that the student council has been discussing potential options for prom and graduation.
"A lot of us seniors are talking about how much is canceled," Heck said. "Yet, as we look toward school ending decisions, we suggest that the school board and the administration respectfully consider having an online graduation of some type. We had the idea where each senior would come into the gym at separate times sometime in May or the rest of April, get recorded getting their diploma, and stitching them all together that we could air on WJFW or stream it."
While this was just one idea, Heck noted it has generated the most interest among the members of the class of 2020.
"Another idea is we could have (graduation) outside, we could all be wearing masks, be six feet apart," Heck said.
While there are several ways graduation could still be held, Heck said the students feel there is only one way to approach prom.
"We would also like you to consider postponing prom until later on in summer, and also the class trip, as well," he said. "I know that the rules change every day, there are changing rules with the governor. And I know it's really tough right now, but I would like for you to consider some of these ideas moving forward." District superintendent Kelli Jacobi asked if the class officers had talked to RHS principal Shane Dornfeld about their suggestions. Heck replied that they held a virtual meeting with him via a streaming service.
"I'm working with him (Dornfeld) to put lots of ideas together to come up with something," Jacobi said. "Because we don't want to have this class of students miss out on something special. It will look different, but something special."
Heck said "something special" would be great, "because a lot of the seniors have been talking about one final send-off."
Later in the meeting, as Jacobi was briefing the board on everything that has been done since the Safer at Home order shuttered district buildings, the subject of prom and graduation came up again.
"We know we're going to have to make changes with our graduation and prom," Jacobi said. "We've been working with Mr. Dornfeld on options for both of those."
She said she was glad to hear that the students were also working with Dornfeld and repeated that the goal is to make prom and graduation "special."
"I know they have been working on a summer date to hold a summer prom," Jacobi said. "So we'll continue working on those things, and I will let you know, with your permission, what those decisions are. I know we are going to make some kind of video, even if that is not graduation, because I can't see that we all are going to be able to be part of a graduation ceremony."
"It might be a few people, but I would guess that we won't be doing big group anything, yet," she added. "But it would be special."
Plans are also being discussed as to how to handle the other traditional end-of- the-year recognition ceremonies, it was noted.
Mike Roberts suggested that dates for prom and graduation be set sooner, rather than later.
"It would give people something to look forward to," he said. "We'd still have to figure out the strategy to make things work."
The board said the most preferable course would be to have both the prom and graduation on the same weekend.
Jacobi was asked if an August date for graduation would be too late.
"We don't know," she replied. "We don't know anything that far in the future."
She did say that by late August, many of the graduating seniors will have already left for college.
"We could pick a weekend, and the kids that are close to home might be able to get back," Jacobi said. "But I think that late July would be the one that gets the most support."
"So they would have that ceremony and that feeling of completion," she added.
Jamie Taylor may be reached at jamie@rivernews online.com.
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