Prom, Graduation and Summer School, Oh My!
As we round the final turn into Quarter 4, the finish line is in sight! Planning for Prom and Graduation is underway and starting to take on more definition. In a year where everything has been uncertain, it is exciting to see these end of year traditions taking shape. In regards to prom, it will be held Saturday, April 24th and include a Grand March and Banquet. As part of the updated guidance from the state, out-of-district guests will be allowed. The schedule will be as follows:
4:30 pm - Chauffeurs drop off students in front of high school for outdoor processional, viewable by guests and community members.
5:30 pm - Grand March in gymnasium, for parents only.
6:30 pm - Chauffeurs pick up students behind the high school (new gym entrance) and drop off at Slayton Country Club.
7:00 pm - Banquet outdoors at Slayton Country Club, catered by VanBully’s
8:00 pm - Prizes and coronation of Prom King and Queen.
8:30 pm - Chauffeurs pick up students from Slayton Country Club.
In case of inclement weather, the outdoor processional would be cancelled and banquet would be held indoors either inside the New Gym or Country Club, depending on final numbers of those signing up. While this prom event will look differently than those of past years, we continue to do what we can, with what we have, where we’re at (Theodore Roosevelt). I am proud of all the hard work our Jr./Sr. Advisors Christina Walker, Darla Bly, James Wajer and Patrick Freeman have put in to make sure we have a prom this year. It has not been easy navigating the changing guidance while trying to make prom as meaningful as possible for our students.
Graduation is currently scheduled for Sunday, May 30th at 2:00pm. As of now, we are able to have graduation in the gym as we have done in the past. The idea of the football field has been tossed around but the weather is always the question with anything outdoors. The requirements for the ceremony, regardless of venue, include masking, distancing, and 250 spectators allowed for the event. With the current size of our senior class, that is about 5 tickets per student. If we have graduation in the gym, we would have a reception line out front for people to greet the graduates as we have had in years past (weather permitting). There will be more information coming on this and student preferences will be considered.
A new addition to our programming this year will be a Summer School option for both elementary and high school students. There is a big push in the state to identify students who need additional academic support due to learning loss as a result of COVID 19. We spent an entire quarter in distance learning last year in the Spring. Although we have been fortunate to stay in person most of this year at MCC, another big concern is with our students who were gone on quarantine- many of them with multiple quarantines over the course of the year. Our summer school program will run from July 6th to August 5th. The proposed times are from 9am-12pm each day with lunch being at noon for all students. At the elementary, students will be identified using multiple assessment measures and receive support in areas needing improvement. At the high school, the summer school program will primarily be credit recovery in nature. Any student failing classes or falling behind in credits for graduation will have a spot in our summer school.
It is an exciting time at MCC, and there is light at the end of the tunnel. We will get through this together and come out better on the other side. Our community is amazing and continues to put the students of Murray County first. Thank you for your unending support.
Jake Scandrett- MCC HS Principal