After being moved up to June 23, DCPS is moving senior graduation back to its original time window from June 16 to June 20. Graduation is currently scheduled to be held at Bender Arena of American University instead of DAR Constitution Hall like past years. The last day for seniors will be June 10.

Central Office initially pushed graduation back ten days later than usual. The decision to prolong graduation was made in order to have extra time to review if seniors are qualified to graduate.

“[Reviewing transcripts] used to be very rushed,” Martin said. “We had Thursday, Friday, and Saturday to do that, and we had to really scramble to make sure all of our paperwork was in order and students were eligible for graduation.”

Graduation was eventually moved back up to its original time window after it became clear that many teachers would have already left before the event. “DCPS realized that it was too late and they gave us a new date, [which will be] a week earlier,” 12th grade Assistant Principal Gregory Bargeman said. “Teachers were supposed to be leaving for summer break [before the new date], and I didn’t think there would be enough teachers left [to review senior transcripts.]”

Students were indifferent about the change, and some were unaware that it had even happened. “I don’t care,” senior Nathan Marzan said. “I didn’t hear about it,” senior Lorenzo Martinez said.

Others were annoyed by the prolonging of the ceremony. “[I was] frustrated since it keeps seniors from going on vacation until a week after school ends,” senior Ben Perez said.

The venue for graduation ceremonies is currently set to be Bender Arena, but that is subject to change. DAR Constitution Hall, the location where Wilson normally holds graduation, is scheduled to be renovated beginning June 20. Wilson is currently trying to work out a date for graduation sometime before than with DAR. If that happens, ceremonies can be held there instead of at Bender Arena. 

DAR is scheduled to confirm with Wilson after this edition of The Beacon was sent to print.