PHS graduation date will change
By Terry Murry on Wednesday, June 19th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – Pendleton High School will no longer hold its graduation ceremony on the Saturday after Memorial Day. The possible new date is still being decided.
The change is due to the Oregon School Activities Association changing its playoff calendar for spring sports. Under the old schedule, that Saturday was reserved for baseball and softball finals. For example, this year seniors on the softball team missed graduation as they claimed the state championship. The year before, the same thing happened to members of the Buckaroo baseball teams.
OSAA’s schedule change will make the date even less compatible with graduation ceremonies. That Saturday will be the date of track and field championships as well as baseball and softball quarter finals. Superintendent Kevin Headings said next year all three of those teams look to be stronger than this year.
“We’re anticipating anywhere from 37 to 42 seniors who will be gone on that weekend,” he said. “In good conscience as the superintendent of the district, I can’t do that. That’s the pinnacle of a student’s career.”
The district has surveyed high school parents and others involved, giving them a choice of four possible dates. Headings said one of those dates is far and away the favorite, but the survey doesn’t close until Friday. He refrained from naming the date until all of the survey reactions are studied. The school board is scheduled to decide on the date for the class of 2025’s graduation at its next regular meeting on July 8.
