School board again weighs graduation options

By Staff | Jul 14, 2020

Seniors and their families are not alone in their disappointment about graduations this year — the Lee County School Board still isn’t happy with suggested options for the pomp and circumstance ceremonies.

Two new graduation options presented to the board meeting last Wednesday — a drive-thru ceremony and a singular walk across a stage — were greeted again with wishes for better choices.

School Development Executive Director Clayton Simmons conceded it’s been a rough year regarding graduation, especially on families, students and staff.

“We know our seniors want the opportunity to wear caps and gowns and receive their diploma from the principal,” he said, adding that having graduation inside an auditorium allows for inclement weather. “That is something I feel is important to our kids. We wanted to give the kids that experience and receive that diploma. That was something the principals wanted too, it’s a closure for them. We heard that loud and clear from the community and the staff wanted the closure.”

The graduation plan includes drive-thru ceremonies taking place the week of July 20, using 216 district employees to assist.

The first option will allow graduates to participate in via a drive-thru where they can pick up their diploma without leaving their vehicle.

The second option provides graduates with the opportunity to invite two guests, wear their cap and gown and walk across the stage to receive their diploma and take a picture with the principal. This option requires participants to remain in their cars until they are directed by school personnel to proceed to the auditorium.

The option two graduation will be spaced out over a two- to three-day period depending on the size of the school with each graduate and two guests being a assigned a specific time for their intimate graduation ceremony.

All three individuals must wear a mask and participate in COVID-19 health screening questions.

There will be no shaking of hands. Graduates are allowed to take off their mask while taking a photograph.

The Health Department asked that the district also uses verbiage that those who are over 65 years old, or have compromised health issues to consider not attending.

“We can’t have a graduation, but we can open schools. I don’t understand,” Board member Melisa Giovannelli said. “I’m very disappointed. I have tons of parents that are very disappointed. How do we sound today — ‘Let’s go back to school in one way’ (thumbs up), and this (thumbs down) for a graduation? I think this is horrible. If we cannot have a graduation, I will not be voting to go back to school.”

Superintendent Dr. Greg Adkins said they went forward with an in-person graduation at Hertz Arena, but they were not comfortable and sent a letter to cancel the event.

Director of Communications Lauren Stillwell said one of the raised concerns of Hertz Arena was the inability for them to have a contract trace if COVID-19 in a large graduation situation. Due to that, the Health Department would have to put out a large health notice in the newspapers indicating if an individual happened to attend the graduation they may have been potentially exposed.

Adkins said when talking to the Florida Department of Education commissioner, he was told there was an incident of more than 1,000 positive cases of COVID-19 from one particular graduation held in an auditorium.

“I understand how you feel and you are frustrated. I hate that we are here as a result of having to respond to the pandemic. This is the best action we can take at this time,” Adkins said.

Giovannelli said if they are going to walk into a school, how is that different from receiving a diploma at a graduation ceremony at a stadium.

“They want to throw the hat up in the are and move the tassel. I don’t know why you would jeopardize going inside. I think it is very poor planning,” she said.

School board member Chris Patricca said the cancellation of in-person graduation was “like a punch in the gut to me,” but comparing opening schools to holding a graduation she did not think is fair.

“We are talking about potentially pushing off the start day of schools because of bandwidth. This is all hands on deck to get schools open and do it well. To ask staff to do anything else at this point is not fair to them. We have children to education come fall. When you look at balance — protection against COVID and the quality of education we are required by law to provide. It is not provided by law to provide graduation,” she said.

Board member Betsy Vaughn said there are decisions that may be based on emotion and tat sometimes you just have to push through and weigh things out.

“I understand the disappointment, but this too will pass,” she said. “If you weigh the importance of the photo op for graduates that I know is very important to them and parents … if you really objectively weigh those things verse reopening schools and getting those ducks in a row, I would say the reopening is way more important.”

Board Chair Mary Fischer said they are in a public health emergency and no one has planned for this pandemic.

“I suggest we use a drive up, or drive- thru, but not having staff working through three days to bring small groups of people to the building to walk across the stage,” she said. “We want to use common sense and not jeopardize any one’s health. We want to celebrate the kids and have that special moment. I think that is still doable.”

Simmons said he will take their suggestions back to the executive team and principals and have a discussion.

“At no point can we make everybody happy all the time,” he said. “As a former high school principal and parent (this is one thing) that weights on me the most, not having these graduations for the kids. We are all in a situation we have never been in before.”

As of Tuesday, schools through the district were beginning to communicate their graduations plans, according to district spokesperson Rob Spicker. Graduations are expected to take place next Monday or Tuesday, or both days, he said via email.

Seniors will receive graduation details directly from their schools if they have not already.