MORGANTOWN – Rain, rain, go away.
Or … rain, rain, do what you want, anyway.
You know: since the seniors of Morgantown High and University High’s Class of 2027 – weather or not – are going to be graduating indoors.
That was the forecast from the Monongalia County Board of Education this past Tuesday night.
First, though, there was Patrick Gregg, and a number of other parents who signed up to talk about the storms of not necessarily having a backup plan, then chose not to take the microphone.
Gregg and the contingent who came out are still sopping mad their sons and daughters in the collective Class of 2026 of Morgantown and University high schools got drenched during their outdoor graduation ceremonies this past May.
MHS students gamely went forth on the wet-dog turf of Pony Lewis Field in a steady downpour to pick up their diplomas encased in Ziploc bags.
In the more elevated climes on Baker’s Ridge, their counterparts at UHS leaned into the storm for their moment, while Superintendent Eddie Campbell literally battened down the hatches.
The district’s top administrator could be spied during the proceedings clinging onto a canopy on the main stage at Mylan Pharmaceuticals Stadium – in order to keep the cover from blowing away in the lashing winds that arrived at the height of the meteorological onslaught.
Gregg, meanwhile, was blown away that the district went ahead with the outdoor ceremonies for the two schools, given the rain and the forecasts that were both relentless.
“You owe the public an explanation and rationale for your inaction,” he told BOE members.
A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER
Tuesday night, the board spoke, collectively, and it extended an umbrella-olive branch, with assistance from the state’s flagship university.
When MHS and UHS graduates in the Class of 2027 go forth next spring, it will be under the roof of the West Virginia University Hope Coliseum in Evansdale.
The facility was offered free of charge by the university after WVU President Michael T. Benson watched the weather drama unfold.
University High will graduate there on a Friday night, May 28, with Morgantown High’s seniors crossing the stage the following Saturday morning.
Completers at the Monongalia County Technical Education Center will also take part in their ceremonies under the Coliseum roof, the Wednesday before.
Meanwhile, Clay-Battelle Middle-High, on the western end of Mon County, will hold commencement in the gym on its Blacksville campus also on Friday evening, two hours before UHS.
All of the wrangling and rearranging, though, caused a deluge of discussion among Campbell and the board, which now includes former superintendent Frank Devono, appointed to fill the term of Christina Fattore Morgan, who resigned last month.
THE CLIMATE OF FAMILY
Tuesday night was Devono’s first meeting in that role, and he wanted the central office to consider the social dynamic of Morgantown and Monongalia County when it comes to high school commencement.
After all, he said, there are families who now live away having to make plans for holiday travel.
Which doesn’t count the families still here juggling the allegiances and obligations of, say, having grandchildren graduating the same day from two different Morgantown high schools.
That’s why he wondered about an original recommendation that would have had UHS and Clay-Battelle graduating in staggered start times on a Thursday evening.
“Maybe I’m the odd man out,” Devono said.
“I think if we end up having it on a Thursday, we’re going to be eliminating some people who might have to travel. Graduation to me is about family.”
BOE member Shawn Smith agreed.
“Thursday night’s a tough one,” said Smith, who was out of town and addressed the board via cellphone.
Fellow board member Dan Berry wasn’t in attendance Tuesday night.
“We have members of the community who have backed us on our levies and who have backed us on everything,” Smith said.
Mon’s district needs to do the same, he said, during such family milestones.
The BOE’s Jennifer Hagerty, herself a former teacher and principal in the district, agreed – and addressed Gregg and other parents after the particulars were dried out for the new commencement calendar.
Hagerty handed out diplomas at MHS on that rainy evening in May.
“I appreciate everybody,” she said, nodding in Gregg’s direction.
“And we are sorry it was so uncomfortable this year. We’re trying to fix it for the future.”
