EATON — Eaton Community Schools is committed to “doing whatever they can do” to have a graduation and a prom for students this year.
During the ECS Board of Education meeting on Monday, April 13, Superintendent Jeff Parker addressed both graduation and prom, stating the district intends to find alternative dates for the celebrations if need be, to allow seniors to participate in these time-honored celebrations.
“We’re going to do whatever we can do to have a graduation and have a prom. Mr. Couch and I are actually going to be talking more. We talked a little bit before this meeting. We hope to have an alternative date for prom and maybe even a couple alternative dates — not knowing how long this could go on — for prom,” Parker said.
As of Tuesday, April 14, the district graduation is still planned for Saturday, May 30, at Millett Hall, Miami University. As of Wednesday, April 15, Senior Prom is planned for Wednesday, June 24.
According to the district’s Frequently Asked Questions page, it is its intention that, regardless of the length of the school closure, Eaton High School qualifying seniors will have the opportunity to participate in a graduation ceremony.
Based on the information available at this time, Eaton Community Schools is planning the regularly scheduled graduation ceremony. If the school closure extends to a length of time that does not permit the regularly scheduled graduation ceremony, the district is committed to scheduling a graduation ceremony for high school seniors.
An update on Tuesday, April 14, stated, “We have been in communication with Miami University regarding our May 30 graduation ceremony and as of April 14, Miami is still planning on the current schedule. Miami is monitoring state and federal guidelines and if the May 30 date is postponed, they will contact us. Future Millett Hall bookings are on hold until Miami officials can gauge the full impact of the current pandemic health crisis.”
The district’s Frequently Asked Questions page also addresses prom. It says, “At this time, the Junior/Senior Prom has been postponed until Wednesday, June 24. Prom will take place at Lake Lyndsay from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. It is our intention to have prom if at all possible. We also have a July date reserved if the Governor’s orders are not lifted by June 24. More information will be posted on the school website regarding reservations and payment the first week of June.”
