Homewood-Flossmoor High School administrators promised graduating seniors they will have a celebratory event, just not the traditional graduation planned for May 31.
“We are committed to holding an event,” Principal Jerry Anderson said during the District 233 board meeting Tuesday, April 21, conducted remotely. “If that time period is July, if that time period is December or next June, we are committed to doing something for this class as soon as it’s safe. Safe is the operative word.”
The district had hoped graduation traditions would be held as usual, but when the governor’s stay-at-home order included schools staying closed through the end of this school year, administrators geared up planning a virtual graduation, honors convocation and prom as alternatives to the annual end-of-the-year celebrations.
Petitions have been circulating online asking that graduation be delayed until July. Several parents and a student addressed the board about the issue pointing out that graduation is a momentous occasion.
“They’ve had so many losses during this pandemic,” said Cathy Jones. “If it’s possible, I understand if the world doesn’t allow it and the virus doesn’t allow it, but given that our graduation happens on campus why won’t there be allowances for July?”
Her daughter, Kennedy, told the board: “There should be consideration given the circumstances, and everything that has been taken away. I just feel like we should have the opportunity to have the graduation ceremony and true closure.”
Each board member said they agreed the Class of 2020 deserves its recognition, “but at the same time we’re listening to the experts and the legislators to do what we’re allowed to do,” said Steve Anderson, District 233 board president.
“It’s not a question of us not thinking about and wanting to do it. We’re bound by the law,” Superintendent Von Mansfield reiterated. “If the governor says social distancing is 6 to 8 feet, we probably couldn’t fit 200 students on the football field,” where graduation is typically held. The Class of 2020 is more than 650 students.
And family and friends gathered for the celebration usually number a crowd of between 6,000 and 8,000 people. But with social distancing, Mansfield said a maximum of 700 people would be able to attend.
When people ask what keeps him up at night, “these are the things that keep us up at night. In terms of how to get these things done (we have) only a few weeks,” he said.
Principal Anderson said, “We’re definitely not trying to choose the easy way out, though some people might perceive things that way.
“We wanted to do a virtual graduation while we have all our students together. This is one way that we will be able to honor and recognize all of our seniors and capture their pictures and names and looking at doing something really positive,” she explained.
Should H-F postpone graduation to June or July, only to find the pandemic restrictions were still in place, “then our students will have missed out on everything,” Anderson said. H-F has chosen to “try to do something now, so they’ll have something.”
The district is ordering T-shirts for all seniors, and will have yard signs for them to display. They will get their caps and gowns. The district also is presenting student profiles online.
Board member Debbie Berman, whose son is a graduating senior, said it will be a disappointment not just for her son but for her to not have the opportunity to hand him his diploma.
But, she urged parents “to take a moment to remember all the blessings that we have for our students, and the accomplishments they’ve made. We should make May 31 a celebration for all of these students.
“Remember, our children take their cues from us. If we make May 31 a big deal for them and celebrate them, they will feel that way. If we make it a disappointment and it’s too bad you missed out on graduation, they certainly will pick up on that cue, too. So, let’s do our best.”