The Benton School Board and administration is in the middle of the decision of how to host a graduation ceremony for their senior students. The last day of in-school learning was March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health concerns have forced kids to continue their school year from home and miss out on sports, choir, band, prom, and a typical graduation.
While extra-curricular activities were cancelled, yearbooks and graduation plans are in the works, according to Curt Barger, Principal at Benton High School.
Barger posted a video on Facebook, asking students to take a survey about how they want to have graduation handled. The choices are:
- Graduation at Butler Auditorium, filmed/edited and shown on TV at a later date.
- Rotunda drive-thru graduation.
- Senior slideshow/virtual graduation. (Includes option 1 or 2, no speeches.)
- Other (with a blank to explain).
Students can participate in the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BPSSeniors2020.
Some senior students have been looking forward to having something left of their senior year and they are finding ways to drive home that a graduation ceremony is very important to them.
Alexandria Trudell checked the “Other” box in the survey and sent an impassioned email to the school administration.
Isabelle Firth made a video along with several other graduating Benton Panther friends, each in their cap and gown, telling what they have been missing about the Class of 2020.
The school is asking seniors to get that survey completed by Wednesday night and the School Board wants to make a decision the next night.
The Benton Board of Education will meet on Thursday, April 23rd at 5:00 p.m. at the Professional Development Center 211 North Border. The agenda outline follows.
AGENDA
I. Call to Order
II. Establishment of Quorum
III. Personnel Recommendations
IV. Information/discussion regarding seniors 2020 Graduation
V. Adjournment