ECASD Board of Directors Discuss Proposed Commencement Ceremony

Discussion at Monday’s Ellwood City Area School District’s Board of Director’s meeting centered on a proposed Commencement ceremony to honor Lincoln High School’s Class of 2020.

School administration, including high school Principal Kirk Lape, had previously announced a plan that they believe will be as close to the traditional ceremony as possible while safely staying within the legal guidelines of social distancing due to Covid-19.

The proposed plan includes 10-minute time slots for each graduate to have the opportunity to take that coveted walk across the stage to receive their diploma. Graduates will be able to enter the auditorium front doors with their immediate family/friends (limit ten) and to walk down the aisle and across the stage while their name is read to receive their diploma. The graduate would be dressed in their cap and gown.

Administrators are even considering allowing parents to hand their student that well-earned diploma as an added special touch. If the student received a scholarship, then the graduate would be recognized as well as the parents.

Clarks Photography will be in attendance to capture the moment for the families, and the school hopes to have a videographer on site to record the recognition.

Administrators are also planning to have all the traditional and much-anticipated speeches from the Valedictorian and Sr. Class President and might even have a surprise feature via Zoom from the choir.

Lape said this will be just like the traditional commencement ceremony, with one exception: everyone can’t be in the auditorium together at the same time.

Robin Rogers, a parent of a class of 2020 student who represented a group of senior parents, said they were fine with the seniors having the administration’s proposed ceremony.

“Mr. Lape is giving the students the time with family,” she said. “We appreciate what he is doing.”

But that proposed ceremony wasn’t sufficient for some board members and class of 2020 parents.

Parent Judy Fisher said it’s not enough. She wants a ceremony later in the summer so that the students can actually be together.

“This is the last time these young adults will ever be together collectively,” she said.

Board President Renee Pitrelli agreed and insisted that the administration look into having something at the football stadium. She said a “virtual” graduation won’t cut it.

“It’s not memorable,” she said.

Lape said that option was researched, but that legally such an option will not work.

District solicitor John DeCaro said no matter what is planned, it must be legal.

“You have to follow state guidelines,” he said.

Pitrelli said regardless of guidelines, she feels that a better solution can be reached with still maintaining compliance.

“There would be a lot of issues to work through,” DeCaro said.

School Director Jean Biehls suggested forming a graduation “taskforce” to include parents, students, administrators, and the boards education committee to come to a compromise.

Rogers insisted that the group of parents she represents are satisfied with Lape’s proposed plan, but stressed to administrators that should the social distancing guidelines be lifted, they fully expect efforts to plan an all together ceremony sometime during the summer.

Pitrelli suggested a car parade ceremony for the students to drive up and receive diplomas.

Board Director Jennifer Tomon said Lape’s plan of allowing a limit of ten family and friends to watch graduates receive diplomas in the school’s auditorium will better serve the family and the graduate.

Rogers agreed.

“We would rather have our allowance of ten people, than be in a car,” she said.

School Directors Gary Rozanski, Kathleen McCommons, and Tomon suggested moving forward with Lape’s proposed commencement plan with consideration of an all together ceremony at a later date if at all possible legally.

Director Barbara Wilson said she thinks the graduates need a little extra recognition this year because they lost so much.

“We are hearing over and over it’s just not enough,” she said. “What can we do to add a little spark to this.”

Rogers said the parents were already in talks with Mayor Anthony Court to plan a graduate parade through Ellwood City.

Pitrelli said the parade should take place on June 2, which would have been commencement.

Rogers said the parent group will pursue plans for a parade.

The board’s voting meeting will be held Thursday at 7 p.m.