The COVID-19 pandemic has made it impossible for usual graduation ceremonies to go ahead this year.

This past Monday, Rocky View Schools Superintendent Greg Luterbach says they made the extremely difficult decision to cancel all Spring graduation ceremonies and related celebrations.

“That decision was made because we know we need to keep our focus around the health and safety of our school communities,” Luterbach says, acknowledging that it’s an extremely difficult situation for all grads, families, and the community as a whole. “There’s been a lot of heartbreak across our communities this past week.”

Graduation ceremonies are big events and recognize a milestone in a students' learning journey, Luterbach says. In RVS alone, an estimated 2,000 students are set to graduate this year. Many of them are vocally upset about the board’s decision to cancel graduation ceremonies. An online petition asking RVS to consider postponing the celebrations instead had more than 750 signatures as of Friday afternoon.

Calumn Hickerson is a Grade 12 student at Airdrie’s George McDougall High School. He says he’s upset that students had no say in whether grad ceremonies would be cancelled.

"We're going out into the world, we're starting our entire lives and we don't even have a say in our own graduation? It just doesn't seem fair to me," Hickerson says, adding he would have liked to see school administration send out an email to graduates for feedback before any decisions were made.

"We had heard nothing, and it was complete radio silence, even to the students who are emailing the administration,” he says. “I'm sure it's a busy time and this pandemic has really turned the world upside down, but they still represent us and they should be there for us like they said they would be."

Luterbach says they were simply following the direction of the provincial government and the Chief Medical Officer of Health. “Given the physical distancing requirements and no gatherings more than 15, graduation events are just not possible this Spring.”

He says they did consider postponing, but that there’s just too much uncertainty.

“We also have to realize the ability and access to a facility to hold a graduation ceremony is limited,” Luterbach says. “There aren’t a lot of these facilities across our area. We don’t know when those are going to open, if those are going to open, under what conditions those are going to open. We also don’t really know what school is going to look like next year.”

Even so, Hickerson is hoping to change the board’s mind.

"I just want all of the graduates to stand together and show that this is not what we want and in the end, it should be us above them,” he says. “And I feel like together we'll be able to change even what the highest up of power in our schooling district has to say."

Hickerson says he doesn’t want an otherwise pleasant high school experience to end this way.

"It has been quite an enjoyable time, but this decision that was blindly made has just really taken a toll on me and many other graduates who looked up to this administration to watch out for our general needs and not just for what they think might be best for us."

He says the grads haven’t had a chance to say a proper goodbye.

"It all came to an end suddenly. And whether the graduation be postponed until further notice, and we get to say goodbye in a proper fashion, in the fashion that we've all earned in our many years of schooling."

Luterbach says he can’t speculate on whether ceremonies may or may not be possible down the road.

“Based on what we know right now, that’s not going to happen this Spring,” he says. “What might happen in the future, can’t say.”

So for now, each RVS high school has been empowered to talk with grads, families, grad committees, and staff to figure out how to celebrate. “This is a big milestone,” says Luterbach “We want to recognize their accomplishments. It can’t be in a “traditional” way that we’ve done it in previous years, so how can we do it?”

Luterbach says he’s heard ideas involving lawn signs, virtual graduations, and even possible drive-in ceremonies. According to an email Hickerson received from George McDougall administration, they are discussing the possibilities of having sponsored lawn signs, and a virtual ceremony with messages from dignitaries, awards, a Valedictorian speech, and a slideshow/video presentation.

The school is also planning to send students a “Grad in a Box” which would include a cap and gown, interim diploma, and school memento.

Simply put, Hickerson says "It's not quite the same as walking the stage."

 

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