Most local high school graduations will be nearly a week later next year
Photo by Tom Rivers: On June 22, 120 students graduated from Medina High School. Next year graduation will be six days later on June 28.
High school graduation will be almost a week later next year, compared to this year’s ceremonies, for most local high schools.
Albion, Medina and Lyndonville will hold commencement on June 28, while Holley has it on June 29. That is six days later than graduation last month for those school districts.
Kendall, however, has opted not to wait until June 28. The district typically has graduation the fourth Friday in June. It will have the service on June 21 next year.
The Albion Board of Education and school administrators on Monday discussed moving its ceremony to June 21 next year. That would be five days before Regents are done. Elementary and middle school students also have half days of school on June 24-25.
Albion has traditionally ended the school year with graduation.
The board decided to continue with graduation on the fourth Friday of June.
Students will have completed all of their final exams, including Regents, by then. That way high school staff can make sure students have the appropriate designation noted on their diplomas. Some of the graduating seniors might be taking a Regents exam after commencement if it was held on June 21. Their score could determine if it is an Advanced Regents or a different designation – or if they meet the standards for a diploma.
There is a drawback with having graduation on June 28. It doesn’t give much time off in June, board members said, especially for varsity athletes who have practices in mid-August. They will have a short summer vacation.
Albion also could hold graduation on Wednesday, June 26, or the Thursday the 27th, so there would be more vacation time in June. But the board decided that graduation on a Friday is a long-time tradition in Albion that should be preserved.
