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Grandmother asks board to fix 2027 graduation scheduling as members debate rotation and rain dates
Summary
A public commenter urged the Monongalia County Board of Education to correct what she says is a scheduling error that would put multiple high-school graduations at the same time in 2027. Board members discussed rotating time slots, rain-date logistics and asked staff to consult principals and return options at the next meeting.
Judith Linhardt, a grandmother of two seniors, told the Monongalia County Board of Education on May 13 that she would be unable to attend both of her grandchildren’s 2027 graduations because the three large high schools are currently scheduled at the same time.
Linhardt said she has tried phone calls, voicemails and handwritten notes to board members and hasn’t received timely responses. “I cannot sit at one graduation and not at the other,” she said, asking the board to add the topic to a future agenda and to correct the schedule.
Board members said the omission of a formal, board-approved graduation date was an oversight in the calendar materials submitted to the state. The superintendent explained the state will accept a resubmitted date, but the board must formally approve its choice. Members discussed several options, including holding all graduations on a single long weekend with a Friday-night/Saturday/Sunday rotation among schools, staggering times across the weekend, and establishing indoor rain-date plans.
Members noted practical constraints: gymnasiums at high schools are too small for large ceremonies if it rains, and rotating Friday/Saturday assignments raises questions about fairness and state track meet conflicts. One board member suggested designating Friday night, Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon for 2027 and then rotating assignments in 2028. Another asked staff to consult the three principals and return with concrete weekend/time options at the next meeting.
The board gave staff direction to work with school leaders on schedules that reduce conflicts for families and grandparents and to present recommended dates at the next meeting. No formal calendar change was approved at this session.
