School officials look to cut back eighth-grade grad festivities
BY MATT HERSH
Eighth-grade graduation festivities at Woodbury School are becoming more elaborate every year, and that has school officials concerned.
Several staff members from Woodbury School met with school board members at their Nov. 21 meeting to discuss cutting back the festivities.
During the final week of school, Woodbury’s eighth-graders are treated to a variety of special activities including a trip to Cedardale in Bradford, Mass., school-wide olympics, and breakfasts.
The festivities culminate with an elaborate graduation and awards ceremony during which every student is recognized.
Each year, school administrators have seen a rising number of students treating the event like a prom – wearing fancy dresses and tuxedos and arriving in limos.
Attending the event has become a somewhat competitive with girls trying to top each other’s dresses, according to Marcia Larason, an eighth-grade science teacher at Woodbury.
“I hear from the girls about the prices and enormous expenses,” she said.
Some girls, she said, often miss classes in order to get their hair or nails done.
The escalating nature of the ceremonies have administrators questioning their necessity.
The ceremony has been in place for many years, but the times have changed, said Superintendent Michael Delahanty.
“There was a time when eighth grade was a mark of achievement,” he said. “But culturally, I think we’re past a formal graduation ceremony.”
Delahanty said having the ceremony is nice but no longer holds as much significance.
School board Chairman Bernard Campbell said the issue also centers around the burden placed on school administration.
Each year, many hours are spent coordinating the event, rehearsing and executing, he said.
“We could better use your talents in other areas,” he told school staff.
School staff said they mostly agreed with cutting back the celebrations.
“I don’t see eighth-grade graduation as anything special in my eyes,” Larason said. “The expectation is that they’ll graduate from high school.”
Still, some concern over exactly what to cut and when to start the cuts was expressed.
Larason said some parents and students are passionate about the graduation, and she doesn’t know what their reaction would be.
“It could open a can of worms,” said Pat Learned, a Woodbury teacher.
But school board members said they shouldn’t be hesitant to act because of fear of parental backlash.
“Sometimes I wonder if the parents would have a harder time with (the changes) than the kids,” said board member Roland Maher.
Assistant Principal Brad St. Laurent also told the board he had done some research on other schools that recently changed their graduation ceremony to something less formal.
About half of the schools he contacted had less formal graduation ceremonies, he said.
“Those who’ve moved away from traditional graduations have had positive things to say,” he said.
By the end of their discussion, school staff and members of the board were in agreement that action needed to be taken.
But many said that a change shouldn’t be imposed on current eighth-graders who are awaiting their ceremony at the end of the year.
Campbell said the next logical step would be to discuss the issue with members of the town’s Parent Teacher Student Association.
Meeting with the association to come up with alternate options would ensure students still receive recognition for graduating, Delahanty said.
Campbell said the announcement will be made to the PTSA soon. Parents will be able to come up with new ideas and present a proposal by March and a decision will be made by June.