By Mike Schnitzel
So it was no surprise that many parents were upset when the Valley Stream Central High School District Board of Education proposed moving graduation from Friday afternoon to Sunday. At Tuesday night¹s regular board meeting, the proposal was finally rejected after months of debate.
Following almost 40 minutes of discussion and the rejection of a motion to lay the matter on the table -- which would have put off a decision yet again -- the vote to change the graduation date was tied, with four yeas and four nays among the board members. According to board protocol, unless a proposal receives a majority vote, it does not pass.
Audience members were jubilant when it was announced that Friday graduations would continue at Valley Stream high schools. ³There is no valid reason for a change, and I feel that holding graduation on a Friday allows families the flexibility to celebrate the whole weekend,² said parent Roseanne Collucci. ³This is a longstanding tradition in Valley Stream.²
Janet Morgan said she felt that a Sunday graduation would make it more difficult for out-of-town relatives to attend the festivities. ³It would add a lot of constraints to planning a party,² Morgan said.
The measure had been proposed because the board felt that changing the graduation date might better serve the needs of the community, Superintendent Dr. Marc Bernstein said. "Tradition is very important, but it's important that it's not stuck in the past," Bernstein said.
³We have to remember that our prime purpose for being here is education,² said Trustee Jeanne Jacobs, who ended up voting against the measure. Jacobs added that any proposals the board made were to facilitate learning among the district¹s students.
Some audience members were concerned that a change in the graduation date would also lead to a change in the date for high school proms. Board members assured the audience that only graduation was being considered.
³If it¹s that important to give our children the time to enjoy their graduation, then I think we shouldn¹t change the date,² said parent Rod Siragusa. ³Let¹s give graduation the time it deserves.²
Ultimately, the board agreed, to the overwhelming approval of the audience.
Comments about this story? MSchnitzel@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 265.
