SIMCOE MUSKOKA CATHOLIC DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
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Graduating from Grade 8 or Grade 12 is a special time in any young person’s life and it is important to recognize the achievement. But as everyone has learned, a pandemic means normal graduations aren’t possible right now.
The Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board has officially postponed graduations for all Grade 8 and 12 students until physical distancing rules are more relaxed and the size of gatherings is increased.
In the meantime, the staff at SMCDSB wanted to do something to recognize this important milestone. They have produced and are distributing keepsake lawn signs for close to 3,500 graduates at 50 schools to let students know that their success has not gone unnoticed.
Catholic school board students across Simcoe County, Muskoka and Parry Sound will receive their signs on Friday, June 5.
“Obviously no one was expecting their final year of elementary school or high school to end like this. There were no goodbyes to favourite friends and teachers, no proms, and no cap and gown moments with family and friends. But it is still important to celebrate the culmination of years of hard work and the accomplishments of these graduates,” said Director of Education Brian Beal.
“We look forward to celebrating their accomplishments in a more meaningful way in the fall, but hope this gesture shows them we are thinking about them and they are special.”
Board Chair Joe Zerdin expressed a similar sentiment. “It was a big dilemma that the staff really struggled with - how to recognize our graduating students in the best way possible. Many schools have adopted the lawn sign idea, but as far as I’m aware we are the only board in the province to coordinate lawn signs for every single graduate in every single school and distribute them on the same day.”
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