Graduation ceremonies for Naugatuck High School and Woodland Regional High School have been set for June 24.
The Naugatuck Board of Education and the Region 16 Board of Education, which oversees schools in Beacon Falls and Prospect, scheduled the ceremonies at their respective meetings last week.
Naugatuck High’s graduation ceremony will be at the high school again. The ceremony has been held at the Palace Theater in Waterbury the last two years due to the ongoing renovation project at the school.
The school board originally voted to hold the ceremony at the theater again this year. However, officials reversed that decision after high school students and parents voiced their support for holding graduation on the new turf field.
The rain date for Naugatuck High’s graduation is June 25. If it rains on June 25, the ceremony will be moved inside the school.
“We are very excited. Thanks to the parents and students who motivated us to get it back to the high school. It’s going to be a great day and you know the sun is going to be shining,” Naugatuck school board Chairman David Heller said.
As it turned out in Region 16, Woodland students won’t have to make up a day lost in February due to a broken pipe.
A pipe in the sprinkler system broke Feb. 22 causing flooding and the high school to close for the day. Insurance covered the cost to fix the pipe and clean up the school, after the district’s $5,000 deductible, according to Region 16 Superintendent of Schools Michael Yamin.
Yamin explained last week that the district schedules 181 days of school, but the state mandates 180 days. After speaking with state officials, he said, it’s not necessary for students to go to school on June 25 to make up for the lost day. June 24 will be the 181st day of school for every other school in the district.
Graduation is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the courtyard at Woodland.
Although students won’t have to return on June 25, Yamin said, 12-month employees and teachers at Woodland will have to report to work to fulfill contractual obligations. High School employees who work 10 months of the year will be given the option to work on June 25 in order to make up for the lost pay from when the school was forced to close due to the broken pipe.
