Owensville High School’s Class of 2019 graduation date has been approved for Sunday, May 19, of next year by the Gasconade County R-2 school board.

Students and parents started petitioning the board to change the date from a Friday to “any other day.” The reasoning was due to conflicting sports events that forced competing seniors to decide between graduation and a state competition.

During the July school board meeting, the board asked Owensville High School Principal Cindy Hawkins to do a senior survey when school started and ask the seniors what they would prefer. 

During the Monday night school board meeting, Hawkins said the 2019 seniors were given the chance to vote for their preferred graduation date between Friday, May 17, or Sunday, May 19. Hawkins reported that 93 of 136 seniors voted over the course of two days during their lunch periods. Results were split with 45 voting for May 17 and 48 voting for May 19. A difference of three votes supporting the change.

“I think we realize any decision we make is a no-win,” said Glenn Ely, board president.

Ely said they needed to make a decision that would remain the same each year, so they would not have to go through this process every year.

Debbie Landolt asked if the administrators could simply make a recommendation from now on for the board to approve.

Board members agreed that if they were moving the event to a Sunday, it needed to take place indoors. One of the current high school classes has 160 students, more than average for the district. Board members asked how having that graduation inside would affect parents and students.

“We may have to sell tickets,” Garner said.

Ely asked board members how they felt about the change individually. Board members said they would go with the majority, except Director Nona Miller, a recently retired teacher.

“It has nothing to do with the kids,” Miller said after the vote was taken. “It’s not a contracted day for the teachers.”

Unless days are required to be added to the school calender due to weather cancellations, the last scheduled day of class is a 1 p.m. early dismissal on Wednesday, May 15, and teachers are scheduled to have a contracted work day on May 16.

Both May 16 and May 17 can be used as a make-up day. If needed, additional days will be added to the school calender starting the following Monday (May 20).

“Teachers have always been against that,” Milller said about having a Sunday graduation ceremony.

Changing graduation from a Friday to Sunday passed with a 6-1 vote with Miller voting against the proposal.

Following the meeting, six students and parents in attendance thanked the board for hearing their requests the past three months.