Car-parade graduation plan upsets seniors
New Milford students petition for in-person ceremony
NEW MILFORD — All Maddy LaFontan wants is one last goodbye — in person — with her classmates.
The 18-year-old New Milford High School senior wants to celebrate graduation with the classmates she’s grown up with before heading to New York City for college in the fall. But that’s not expected to happen this year.
In March 2020, everything changed.
The pandemic led to remote learning, and then with the patchwork of hybrid and in-person learning, several seniors said they felt a growing distance from their classmates, and wished they could have one last moment to see each other all together before heading off to college.
However, New Milford High School has opted for a car parade graduation for the Class of 2021 instead of an in-person celebration, a decision that has upset some seniors.
LaFontan, a class officer, said she was
asked by her classmates to voice their concerns about the plan for June 19.
“The day that we found out and it was posted that we were having the parade, there were people coming up to me in tears saying, ‘I don’t understand,’ ” LaFontan said.
So she created an online petition asking for an in-person graduation. The petition has about 500 signatures and LaFontan reported that 193 of the 298 seniors have signed it.
“I feel like it’s a lot less personal because you’re not watching every classmate going up, you’re just watching the few people who are in the cars ahead of you,” said senior Kati Seppa.
Traditional outdoor gatherings are allowed this year as long as people adhere to COVID-19 restrictions, with Gov. Ned Lamont is lifting all restrictions on outdoor social gatherings on May 19. The ultimate decision, however, can be made by local officials.
Principal Greg Shugrue said that discussions between the health director, superintendent, and other officials found a socially distanced parade was the “best course of action for our class.”
“We are having a graduation, and I think people are missing the point,” Shugrue said. “It’s going to be excellent, it’s going to be fun.”
On the other hand, nearby Ridgefield and Bethel high schools have opted for in-person graduations this year. Newtown and Danbury plan to host two events. Shepaug Valley will hold a drive-in style graduation.
According to Shugrue, many parents reached out in support of the parade idea, having enjoyed the townwide event that marked last year’s high school graduation. Last year, seniors skipped a virtual ceremony and instead paraded in cap and gown down a milelong stretch to the high school in their decorated cars.
The principal said they’re still seeing about 63 to 65 percent of students attending in-person, which he said tells him there’s still a level of discomfort surrounding crowds.
“What they’re not getting is a formal sit-down — what some parents and students called a stuffy and formalized program,” Shugrue said of the alternative plan. “There are many parents that have responded to me in writing saying thank you so much.”
LaFontan said she has tried to meet with Shugrue several times, and sent him an email, but the principal has not met with any students to date.
In response to questions about LaFontan’s efforts to get in touch, Shugrue said he has an “opendoor policy,” and is willing to meet with any student that comes in.
LaFontan said she’s heard of students who are worried about using one car for the parade, with divorced parents or other complicated family situations.
Senior Charlotte Kelly said her eight-person family won’t fit comfortably in their car. Kelly, who is headed to Temple University in Philadelphia, has watched her three older siblings graduate from the high school and recalls in detail her oldest brother’s graduation when she was about 10 years old.
Shugrue said he’s only heard from one father so far about personal issues, and said they will deal with these on a case-by-case basis.
“I can’t problem solve if people aren’t reaching out to me,” Shugrue said.
While they won’t be doing graduation in person, the high school plans to host an outdoor, in-person prom this weekend with roughly 184 students in attendance. However, after recent contact tracing at the school led to students quarantining, some seniors have opted to do remote schooling this week out of fear they won’t be able to attend the event.
Seppa said that most of her friends are staying remote this week. She’s also opted for remote learning because she’s determined to wear her floor-length blue prom dress on Saturday night. She had just come home from the tailor on Tuesday.
“I’m fully vaccinated but I didn’t want to chance even getting it,” said Kelly, who is also home this week.
Students have come up with their own ideas that could follow safe COVID guidelines.
Kelly was thinking they could put chairs on the football field with all the graduates sitting spread out on the field. LaFontan said she tried reaching out to a local venue.
Seppa said her mother, a contact tracer and nurse, thinks there should be a graduation on the football field, too.
But Shugrue said the wheels are already in motion for the parade and that’s what they’re sticking with.
“I think we need to focus on what they are getting. They are getting a ceremony. We are celebrating the seniors,” he said. Diplomas will be mailed to students after the ceremony.
Seppa, who is heading to the University of Rhode Island to study nursing, said she doesn’t care if there is an official ceremony. She just wants to be able to sit in chairs near all her classmates one last time.
“It’s been a rough year and it’s just disappointing to not have a big finish,” Seppa said. “We’ve been waiting for this moment.”