Crossing the State Line for Graduation

Mahopac High School's newest alumni celebrate their graduation in Danbury. Call it a trifecta!

High school graduations for Putnam's big three (Brewster, Carmel, and Mahopac) are being held on Western Connecticut State University's West Side Campus in Danbury.

Previously the Carmel and Mahopac School Districts decided to cross the state line for the 2009 commencement for specific reasons.

Carmel was tired of the guessing game played each year with the weatherman— would clear skies prevail or would inclement conditions force the commencement exercise into the school's stifling hot gymnasium?

Last year, the school made its decision to conduct graduation in the air-conditioned O'Neill Pavilion in Danbury with 100 percent success. The commencement was so picture perfect that the Class of 2009 decided to follow suit.

Mahopac, meanwhile, finds itself in the midst of construction at the high school, resulting in the refurbishing of bleachers on the school's athletic field as well as the installation of a new track. School officials followed Carmel's lead, since no other venue was large enough to host the commencement. Four hundred seventy-four young men and women received their diplomas Tuesday evening during the graduation.

Mahopac High seniors prepare to graduate in Danbury. For years, the Brewster High School graduation was held beneath a huge tent erected at the rear of the school, but due to this month's exceptionally wet weather and ground saturation, representatives of the tent company expressed concern about installing such a large tent.

On Tuesday, Superintendent Dr. Jane Sandbank met with administrators, including the district's Director of Facilities Andy Bates, and decided to cancel plans for the on-school campus graduation due to the unusual weather and, like their counterparts, conduct the graduation on the Western Connecticut State University campus.

Dr. Sandbank told the Courier, "Iffy weather and potential safety issues resulting from concern over whether the tent's platform could be secured properly on saturated ground made the decision easy."

The college's auditorium was available for Saturday and the commencement has been moved to Danbury for an 11am graduation.

Dr. Sandbank admitted being excited. "It's different. True, it's a change from past tradition, but the college setting will be safer and certainly more comfortable in an air-conditioned environment."

Since the tent has not been installed this year, the moving-up ceremony for the Henry Wells Middle School will take place in the air-conditioned gym at Brewster High School with any overflow watching the ceremonies on a large screen at the BHS Performing Arts Center.

The Courier reminds its readers that next Thursday's edition (July 2) will be highlighted by full coverage of high school graduations in Brewster, Carmel, Mahopac, and North Salem.

This special commemorative edition will include photo essays from each commencement.