10/24/19

By LEAH BROADNAX
SNN Staff Writer

The graduation date for the Class of 2020 has been reset a week and a half earlier to May 22, 2020, at 1 p.m. at Tropicana Field, principal Erin Savage said Tuesday morning. The original date, June 3, caused some controversy because it was so late.

Initially graduation was in June for all schools because the school district wanted to make sure all students got testing out of the way before getting their diplomas.

The district went back to the drawing board because the June date was after teachers leave for summer vacation. In addition, some parents were giving some push back about the June date, so the district regrouped and looked for a week that the Tampa Bay Rays would not be in town, Savage said.

 The earlier date puts some extra pressure on the schools.

“Now with it being pushed back we have to make sure our seniors are done and ready, but we’re okay with that,” Savage said.