Nudged by concerns about Covid-19, the pendulum is swinging toward Armand Sabourin Field as the venue for Bedford High School commencement exercises on June 3.
Initially, the first choice was the Tsongas Center at UMass Lowell. School Superintendent Philip Conrad told the School Committee Tuesday that many area schools have used Tsongas, which has a capacity of more than 6,000.
However, he continued, “at this point, many are very leery. And so we are really starting to focus on whether that’s the right choice for us.”
BHS Principal Heather Galante said a recent survey showed that the graduating class preferred Tsongas, and “we were honoring their wishes.” Next week, Galante said, she plans to meet with class officers and advisers.
“It is important that when we talk to the students about what they want, we also have to keep in mind what would preclude others from participating,” Conrad said. “We don’t want to preclude anyone from an important event like graduation, so we look at it really carefully.”
Committee Chair Dan Brosgol, parent of a senior, stated that an indoor venue “would preclude attendance for some people. People are saying to me, ‘If it’s inside I can’t go.’”
Galante also noted that “venues are not booking proms so students are looking for creative ways” of celebrating. She added that if state-imposed restrictions are relaxed, “we are going to explore more in-person and less distanced activities for seniors.”
Mike Rosenberg can be reached at [email protected], or 781-983-1763
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