GCR2 board considering changing 2022 graduation back to weeknight event

By Roxie Murphy, Staff Writer
Posted 9/22/21

At the recommendation of the Owensville High School’s principal, Kris Altemeyer, the Gasconade County R-2 Board of Education may be changing the graduation date from Sunday back to a …

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GCR2 board considering changing 2022 graduation back to weeknight event

Posted

At the recommendation of the Owensville High School’s principal, Kris Altemeyer, the Gasconade County R-2 Board of Education may be changing the graduation date from Sunday back to a weeknight.

“Graduation date. For the last couple of years it has been held on a Sunday. Dr. (Jeri Kay) Hardy and I have been talking quite a bit about how that flows with graduation week and I think we both agree that there is too big of a gap. We have academic awards on Tuesday, Baccalaureate on Wednesday night and then nothing until Sunday.”

Altemeyer said he has visited with area school districts about when they hold graduation.

“I think it works out better for us, better for the kids and better for the families if we go back to a weeknight,” he said. “I put in here Thursday night. In our conference schools, three do Thursday, three do Friday and one does a Sunday. I think it would flow a lot better if we went back to that.”

There are pros and cons to hosting the event on a weeknight. If the district holds graduation on a Thursday, and then if had to have school the next day it could create an issue. There are also concerns about people coming in from out of town so Friday would work well like they have traditionally done. 

“I like Friday evenings as well. The issue there is if they have project graduation that night it could be an issue for kids who have district track the next day,” Altemeyer said. “I feel like moving back to a weeknight, either a Thursday or Friday would be the best option. It’s not something we need to decide now but will need to talk about at the October board meeting.”

The school district’s Board of Education is scheduled to meet again on Monday, Oct. 18, starting at 7 p.m.