The Gasconade County R-2 District will host its 2020-21 graduation ceremony on Dutchmen Field at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 23, with an inclement weather plan that will limit guests to eight per student should the event be moved into the high school’s large gym.

“The weather will play a big role in the things we do,” said Owensville High School Principal Kris Altemeyer on Monday night during the board meeting. “We surveyed the senior parents to find out what they wanted to do in case it rains, even including that we would have to limit the number of guests in the survey, and they still said they would rather have it at the same time Sunday night — in doors.”

Rumors of what the 2020-21 senior prank would be has also circulated the school for the past few weeks. The rumors came to a screeching halt Monday morning when students and administrators arrived at school.

“They had a few different things going on when we got to school yesterday,” Altemeyer jokes. “There were hundreds of plastic forks stuck in the front lawn and the side of the school grounds. Crepe paper wrapped around the entrances and gates to the school. The senior hallway was decorated with crepe paper and balloons as well as my office. There were about two dozen eggs on the football field set along the goal and yard lines. As long as the eggs weren’t broken, no problems.”

Hay bales were also placed at the entrances and exits to the school, but due to an early arriving maintenance team, Altemeyer said they were removed prior to students’ arrival.

“Senior pranks — it is something seniors like to do and I am ok with it as long as it is something that is not going to cause damage, require a massive cleanup — as long as they keep it sensible, I am alright with them having a little bit of fun.”

Seniors attended their senior field trip to Dave and Buster’s Monday with teacher and staff chaperones. Altemeyer joked that he stayed behind and picked up forks that were stuck in the ground around campus.

Board Director Molly Steinbeck said she saw the seniors buying a thousand forks at Walmart on Sunday and asked if they were working on their senior pranks.

“They were so proud of themselves,” she said during the board meeting. “They couldn’t believe it was only like $40 for a thousand forks! So if Walmart is out of forks, find a senior!”

The Class of 2021 is the 99th group of seniors to graduate from Owensville High School.