Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath said Tuesday that Texas schools can hold outdoor graduation ceremonies June 1 or later but that’s probably not going to happen in Rockdale.
The Rockdale ISD will hold three evenings of “mini graduations”—with parents and family members presenting diplomas to seniors one at a time—beginning Thursday. (See story, page 2A) and that’s going ahead, Supt. Dr. Denise Monzingo told The Reporter early Wednesday.
County Judge Steve Young was scheduled to meet with Milam County superintendents later Wednesday to discuss if they want to take advantage of the new options presented by Morath Tuesday during a press conference by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
“It’s going to be their (the superintendents) calls,” Young said.
Dr. Monzingo said she is concerned that if an outdoor graduation ceremony is planned and delayed until June, then canceled later if the COVID-19 situations worsens, the Class of 2020 will miss out on commencement, period.
“Then we haven’t done anything for them,” Dr. Monzingo said. “Cases (in Texas and nationwide) are still going up, so that is a possibility.”
In addition to the mini-graduations, Rockdale ISD is planning activities for graduation night including a stay-in-vehicles parade and a “virtual graduation” in the Tiger Stadium parking lot again with seniors staying in their vehicles.
Morath listed a number of options for Texas school districts Tuesday, including vehicle ceremonies and added: “Each district is at liberty to determine if any of these options best serve the needs and desires of their community.”
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