Graduation Conflicts Present Problem for Greater Egg School District

As the current school year is rapidly coming to an end, the Greater Egg Regional High School District Board of Education found itself talking about graduation -- not just this year's graduation, but next year's graduation also came up as the 2012-13 school calendar appeared before the board Monday night for approval.

Once the calendar is approved, it gets circulated, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Steven Ciccariello said. It'll be hard to change any dates once this occurs, he said. However, at least one board member thought changes could be made during the school year, but advised against waiting too long.

"You have a whole year to come up with a solution," Board Vice President Margaret Guenther said to Ciccariello. "The point is we have a year. Let's not wait until the end of the year."

Her feelings were that changing the date and times for the graduations would accommodate those who wish to attend more than one. Prior to Cedar Creek opening, the district had just two high schools, and Oakcrest. Both high schools typically held their graduations on the same night. This year's no exception.

Graduation will be at 6 p.m. on June 7 for all three schools, with a rain date of June 8.  Not everyone agreed with Guenther.

Members noted that many people do work during the day, and would not be ale to make a graduation if it was held in the morning. Board member Vicki Hood suggested having one mass graduation for all three high schools.

Ciccariello said he doesn't believe changing the dates would resolve conflicts people may or may not have with each of the district's high schools having commencement at the same night and time.

Instead, trying to accommodate everyone would cause more problems, he said.

"It just gets to who's going to go first (with its graduation) and who's going next," Ciccariello said, adding that having commencement on the same night is not a new thing. "We're not the only district that has multiple schools."

He noted one district that has five schools.

That district has five separate commencement exercises.