Southeast Mahopac

Mahopac High School graduation to be held in Danbury

The traditional blue and gold of Mahopac High School will be adorning the O'Neill Center at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury a week from Tuesday when the Class of 2009 conducts its annual commencement.

For the first time in the school's proud history, the conferring of diplomas will take place away from the high school. The district is currently in the midst of a major project at the Baldwin Place Road campus resulting in the construction of a new track, as well as the rebuilding of the school's bleachers at the Fred Schneider Memorial Stadium.

During a visit to the school last Friday, Principal Adam Pease said the decision to relocate the commencement on June 23 was not taken lightly: "We studied all of the options and completed a thorough analysis of the facilities available in the general area before selecting the western Connecticut site. Nothing is available in Putnam that can hold more than 3,000 people indoors. After meetings with students, faculty, administration, Board of Education members, and even the community, we decided on the college campus that will afford us the opportunity for a great event."

This year's class totaling 474 is the largest in the school's history and the largest ever in Putnam County.

Pease said college brass is allowing the school to decorate the interior of the gymnasium with banners and other Mahopac High School memorabilia in order to make the occasion more meaningful for the Putnam students.

Pease said he was sure parents, graduates, and other revelers will be pleased with the accommodations since "parking is prevalent, the facility is air conditioned, and we don't have to worry about the weather."

The principal stressed that this year's graduation in Danbury would be a one-time event with the 2010 graduation returning to the new bleachers and track.

Neighboring Carmel High School used the O'Neill Center for its graduation last year since administration got tired of worrying about the weather each year.

The commencement was so successful that the CHS graduation will take place again this year at the Western Connecticut State University campus on June 26.

The Mahopac graduation gets underway at 7pm while the Mahopac Middle School moving up ceremony will be held on the O'Neill campus on June 22 at 6pm. —Eric Gross