APSD to conduct 'virtual' graduations at four high schools

Voting was close, but the final tally from graduating high school seniors and/or their parents was in favor of a virtual commencement ceremony this month for the Class of 2020.

In his May 5 Facebook address, Avoyelles School District Superintendent Blaine Dauzat said the voting districtwide "is very close," with one school favoring one option by a large margin but the other three favoring the other option, but by a narrower margin.

Dauzat made one last appeal for seniors or their parents -- only one vote per senior could be cast -- to let the district know whether they favored a traditional graduation ceremony in the Mari Center in July or a virtual graduation videoed in their school's auditorium in late May. After the final votes came in, virtual won out over traditional. Dauzat posted on Facebook Wednesday that the final vote "was very close, yet three of the four schools had a majority of parents who voted to go ahead with virtual graduations in May."

Bunkie Magnet students will be the first to walk the aisle, with students being scheduled May 14 and 15 in the school's new auditorium. LaSAS students will receive diplomas in the school gym on May 15. MarksvilleHigh's students will be scheduled for the virtual event in the MHS auditorium on May 19 and 20. Avoyelles High will host its one-at-a-time graduation ceremony on May 20.

"Each student will have an appointed time to arrive at school to be filmed receiving their diploma and give any speeches if applicable," Dauzat said. "A small number of family members will be allowed to come into the building to watch as each student graduates."

Dauzat said graduating seniors will be contacted soon to be given their assigned time and the number of family members that can attend. Any student who has not been contacted by Friday or Monday should call their school.

"We know that some of you will not be happy with this decision," Dauzat posted. "No matter what we chose, some would have been disappointed."

He said anyone with questions should contact the graduating senior's school.

The advantage of the virtual event is that every senior will walk down the aisle, cross the stage and be handed his diploma,just as in a traditional graduation ceremony. Valedictorians and salutatorians will also give their addresses for the video. A composite video will be made of all graduates and shared online for each school.

The main difference between a virtual and in-person ceremony is that the seniors will walk one at a time and not be gathered as a group. The event will be put together as a virtual ceremony for each of the district's four high schools.

The traditional ceremony option was to hold all four graduations on July 18, a couple of hours apart, in the Paragon Casino Resort's Mari Center