Student urges reinstating cords; Pembroke committee discusses policy changes, suspension vote fails

A Pembroke High School student and school committee representative urged the Pembroke School Committee on May 6 to allow cords and other regalia at graduation for Thespian scholars, varsity athletes and students with significant community service, and to reconsider the district’s graduation-cord policy.

Student speaker Ryan summarized a proposal that would permit a Thespian scholar cord tied to the International Thespian Society’s scholar distinction—an ITS handbook provision the student cited that requires “a minimum cumulative GPA of 3 on a 4 scale” for the scholar distinction—and recommended a cord for varsity athletics and a community-service cord for students who complete a suggested 100 hours of service. Ryan told the committee, “I propose that we offer induction regardless of GPA as long as they are academically eligible … and offer a cord to the thespian scholars who have incorporated academics with their passion for theater to earn this distinction.”

Committee members welcomed the research and agreed the district should consider whole-child recognition, but they also explained procedural limits. Committee members and counsel advised that the existing graduation-regalia rule (policy IKFB‑R and related policies) and the committee’s policy-adoption procedures (policy BGB) require the normal first- and second-read process to change policy, which typically takes weeks. The committee’s handbook already requires that PHS-approved honor societies be recognized by administration and sets a 3.5 GPA minimum for PHS-approved honor societies and 3.7 for National Honor Society; several members said those criteria are intended to be announced at the start of the school year so students know what they are working toward.

Members said some proposed changes could be handled in the athletic handbook or by administrative recognition of specific societies. The committee discussed placing safety- and fairness-related athletic language in the athletic handbook and monitoring data for contact-sport injuries; administration indicated the full athletic handbook is planned for a June committee meeting and that researched language could be added there.

The committee also debated suspending policy BGB so the full board could adopt policy language now rather than following the two-read rule. A motion to suspend BGB and proceed with amended policy language did not receive the required supermajority and failed; the chair said the intent is to add the researched athletic-safety language to the athletic handbook for committee action in June. Committee members thanked Ryan for the presentation and praised his research and advocacy.

The committee noted that, even under the current policy, clubs and groups can create regalia or recognition for awards nights and other ceremonies; the policy discussion centered on what regalia may be worn at the official graduation ceremony.