Spotswood superintendent announces drive-thru graduation despite parents’ petition

SPOTSWOOD–Superintendent Graham Peabody has announced the Spotswood Public School District will hold a drive-thru ceremony on June 23 for its graduating Spotswood High School seniors.

Despite the district’s graduation plans, Spotswood High parents started a petition asking Peabody, the Board of Education and the district’s administration to have the Spotswood High School graduation at a later date so an in-person graduation can be held.

 

The petition asks the district to delay holding a virtual or drive-thru graduation and instead consider planning a formal ceremony for July or even August. The senior class parents are willing to help coordinate a graduation celebration on the school football field or any other location deemed acceptable should the district so allow them, according to the petition.

With a goal of garnering 500 signatures, the petition had more than 400 signatures as of press time.

“After much deliberation, on April 29, our high school principal communicated with our seniors that we were planning a car processional followed by a drive-thru ceremony at our high school,” Peabody said.

Peabody said the district is aware of the parents’ petition and remains in communication with the family that posted it.

“As direction from the state continues to evolve, this seems less and less realistic. With that said, it remains our mission to celebrate our seniors in a manner that is respectful, responsible and equitable for all of our graduates,” Peabody said.

For more information about the graduation ceremony, visit www.spsd.us.

Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].