Student calls for structured senior year: overnight trips, unified gowns and a supervised senior lounge

Assata Gaima, a junior and vice president of the Class of 2027, presented a multi‑part proposal April 27 asking the district to restore a structured senior year experience that includes overnight trips, a unified graduation gown and a supervised senior lounge.

Gaima urged the board to consider two trip options — a bus trip to Busch Gardens Williamsburg or a flight to Walt Disney World — with estimated per‑student costs of $250 to $750 depending on the option and vendor. "With a graduating class of approximately 370 students, participation should be limited to 120 to 150 students to ensure safety and manageability," Gaima said, proposing a 1:10 chaperone ratio, mandatory behavior contracts and bag checks to reduce risk.

She also recommended a unified navy‑blue graduation gown to improve cohesion in photographs and suggested hosting graduation at a larger venue to accommodate more families. Board members praised the presentation’s detail and encouraged Gaima to present the request to her principal and follow the building‑level process; trustees said many such proposals begin at school level and advance through committee review when appropriate.

The board did not make a policy decision at the meeting and told the student that the administration and principal are the appropriate first points of contact for operationalizing such proposals. Trustees said they were supportive in principle but noted that logistics, safety, funding and participation rates would need to be worked out at the building level before returning to the board.