High School Graduation Date Set

The Naugatuck High School Class of 2012 will graduate on Tuesday, June 19.

The Board of Education approved the graduation date — as well as the 2012-13 school calendar — during a meeting Thursday at .

Superintendent John Tindall-Gibson said holding the graduation that day satisfies the 180-day school year mandated by the state.

The superintendent said the district tried to get the graduation closer to the weekend, but given the amount of snow days used up the best possible day was the Tuesday.

"Statute is pretty clear on that, so we’re going to have to do it on the 19th or later," he said. "And nobody wants to do it later."

The vote was 6-1, with board member Glenn Connan as the dissenting vote.

“I don’t know why we can’t have the kids walk down the aisle on Friday and hand the diplomas out on Tuesday,” Connan said when explaining his lack of support to the Tuesday graduation.

High school Principal Janice Saam said she would prefer to have the graduation on a Friday, but said it wouldn't be feasible because seniors wouldn’t return for those last two days of school.

“I don’t think many of the students would come back for a word,” Saam told the board members. “I don’t mean to sound flippant… but if we did the ceremony on a Friday, they’re done, and won’t be coming back.”

Saam later mentioned she didn’t support a decision in which the students — while they could hold a graduation ceremony the previous Friday — wouldn’t be actually graduating until the next week.