By Stephanie Mariel Petrellese

Beginning this June, the commencement ceremony at Garden City High School will be held on a Saturday morning, after trustees of the Garden City Board of Education voted unanimously at their January 27 meeting to implement several changes.

"I have no desire to see a change, but I would be remiss in not recognizing that the community in which I grew up in and where I live has changed," said School Board President Colleen Foley. "I think that some of the ways of addressing these problems are to make a change."

Foley and the school board, as well as several parents attending the meeting, are especially concerned about the problem of underage drinking. They are also disturbed by a student trend of extending the prom celebration, which is on Thursday, through the weekend. It is hoped that by having the graduation on Saturday morning, student trips to the Hamptons and other parties will be discouraged.

Lori Zeno, whose children are in their freshman and junior years, suggested the possibility of holding a mandatory graduation rehearsal on Friday morning. "I think that as a community we have a responsibility to try and do something to curtail it [after-prom parties]."

The school board left the exact time of the ceremony for high school administrators to decide. It is expected that the ceremony will begin at either 10 or 11 a.m. The board also unanimously asked administrators to decide on several other ceremony issues, including length, dress code, role of faculty, and number of speakers. The tradition of a formal dress code with girls in white dresses and boys in tuxedos is expected to remain unchanged.

All trustees voted against having a rain date, so the ceremony will be held in the gymnasium if the weather is inclement on Saturday. The shared decision making, high school-based management committee had recommended to the board at its Jan. 13th work session to begin offering a rain date. However, the majority of trustees believed it posed a hardship for visiting relatives.

This committee was asked by Superintendent Dr. Robert Feirsen, with the full support of the school board, to take a look at the way the district handles commencement. The group, which is comprised of administrators, high school students, parents and faculty, has been meeting two times a month since September. They considered the 120 responses they received from an online survey and looked at commencement ceremonies at 25 other Long Island high schools as they worked to make their list of recommendations.

Dr. Feirsen and the board had asked for the study to be conducted after the behavior of some graduates and guests at last year's graduation was less than desirable. Due to rain, the ceremony had to be held in the gym. The heat, length of ceremony and crowds added to the problem.

"I think one of the reasons why the board asked for this was because last year was the last straw," School Board President Colleen Foley said.

A large group of parents attended Tuesday evening's meeting and many who spoke were opposed to making changes. Some commended the leadership of new high school Principal Nanine Cuttitta and said she should be allowed to demonstrate her ability at this year's graduation. Parent Karen Ciccone said she attributed last year's problems to "bad management and lack of leadership" and added that she has no doubt that this year "things will go off without a hitch."

Lynn Hayes, whose children have all graduated from the high school, said tighter controls will eliminate many of the problems experienced at last year's ceremony. "I really believe that this is not something that's broken," she said. "I think that controls can be put on it to make it better than it was last year in the gym. I just love it. I wouldn't change a thing....Before you throw it out, let it go forward and see how it works."

Hayes was also against having a ceremony in the morning because of the difficulty that some elderly people have in rising and getting ready so early in the day.

School Board President Colleen Foley said that she looks forward to receiving the packet of expectations being prepared by Cuttitta and other administrators to be sent to parents of graduating seniors. "I think that rule enforcement, in a different way than obviously we've been doing, is needed. I think we need to have a change."

Some parents and students spoke about the long-standing tradition of holding the ceremony on a Sunday at 4 p.m. "I would hate to see it changed because of one bad year," said parent Maureen Cornacchia.

School Board President Colleen Foley told The Garden City News the day after the meeting that she believes the tradition is in the ceremony and not the time and day.

She acknowledged that the meeting became tense at times, especially when trustees realized they would have to make a decision that night due to a mandatory meeting for parents scheduled by the PTA for Feb. 9. Foley said the board is attempting to achieve a higher level of transparency by holding discussions in public. She said there are several major issues to be discussed in the near future, including the possible bond referendum, the budget and its effect on programs. The first budget work session will be held on February 3 at 8:15 p.m. at the Garden City High School.