INDIANAPOLIS — For many graduating high school seniors, virtual graduation may become the reality because of the spread of COVID-19.
Many school districts around Indy are still deciding on what they’re going to do for graduation.
Indianapolis Public Schools, Avon Community Schools, and Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township still don’t have any plans set in place, while Hamilton Southeastern Schools in Fishers and Brownsburg Community Schools have canceled their graduations and working on backup dates.
Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School is one of the first schools to announce their plans of pushing commencement back to July.
“Everybody wants that human connection and the hopefulness of having that down the road before they head off to college is what we all love to see happen,” said Brebeuf principal Greg VanSlambrook to WISH-TV. “While nobody knows for sure at this point if it actually can, it’s all wait and see, but we’re going to actively plan for it to hold out that possibility for them.”
Franklin Community High School is taking a slightly different approach and letting their seniors decide the graduation outcome.
“I think the idea is just to reach out to them, get some information and see,” said Franklin Community High School principal Steve Ahaus. “It’s such an important event to them. What could work for them? What ideas do they have? What could those days look like?”
The school sent out a poll with two options:
- Attend virtual graduation on commencement day
- Hold out until July to try for traditional graduation when restrictions may be lifted
One Franklin High School student plans to join the Navy, his mother says he may not be here if the graduation is pushed back, but the other option isn’t ideal either.
“People that he thought he’d see again, he may never see,” said Pam Dillow. “Teachers that he was really close to he may not see for a long time.”
Principals said graduation is going to be confusing and strange, but they want to do what’s best for the graduating seniors.
