Like a tasseled graduation cap just thrown skyward at the climax of a conventional high school convocation ceremony, the nature of R.D. Parker Collegiate’s celebrations for the Class of 2020 remains up in the air.
COVID-19 pandemic precautions have led to a ban on large gatherings but that doesn’t mean that all hopes for a recognition of graduating students' achievements have been written off, the School District of Mystery Lake (SDML) board of trustees heard April 21.
“Obviously this is a big concern for the R.D. Parker principal and that committee who look at organizing grad,” said SDML co-superintendent Angele Bartlett. “Right now they’re not making any calls as to when it’s going to happen. There’s no talk of cancelling it.”
“We’ve been told that a department [of education] directive will not be issued regarding convocation,” said co-superintendent Lorie Henderson.
Bartlett said the companies that provide graduation gowns and photography services say they can be ready as long as they have two weeks’ notice.
“My biggest concern is to make sure the message gets out that we are looking,” said trustee Guido Oliveira. “We haven’t given up. We have not forgotten. We are going to work on this, whether it means at a later date, what platform, what we can do, we are looking at it. It might not be a gathering as such. We might have to look at something different.”
“The information needs to be brought out to these kids because, a lot of them, they are online and posting things that they’re worried about not getting their diploma, not having prom,” said trustee Lindsay Anderson. “I know these things aren’t something that they should be worried about but they are worried about it still.”
Trustee Leslie Tucker said too much reassurance shouldn’t be given because what can be done will be dictated by public health concerns.
“We will follow what we are instructed to do absolutely,” she said.
“This is a discussion that’s not just occurring across the province, it’s according across the country,” said board chair Don Macdonald. “There have been some fairly interesting ideas tossed out by some schools so far. If push comes to shove and we can’t do it in a conventional way, I don’t think there will be any shortage of ideas for how to do it in an unconventional way.”
