PHILIPSBURG – When high winds, thunder and lightning tore through Central Pennsylvania on Friday, all types of plans were changed to avoid the storm.
In one place, though, things were scheduled to go on as usual.
The Philipsburg-Osceola graduation ceremony to be held outside, and that is exactly what happened … at least for a while.
The decision to hold the ceremony outside was one that sent graduates and their friends and families scrambling for cover partway through the ceremony as the sky opened and sent heavy showers down on the blue and white-clad graduates.
Samuel Witt, P-O Senior High School principal, offered an apology to everyone who was at the graduation ceremony while at Tuesday’s school board meeting.
“Many factors were considered to have the ceremony inside,” Witt told the board and community members at Tuesday’s meeting
He said, though, that he sees a need to make changes in protocol. To do this, he suggested setting up a committee including parents, graduates and school board members to develop the steps that would be taken in the event of weather or other emergencies.
“I apologize to the parents and the students specifically for this unfortunate incident.”
He said that if students demonstrate a desire to hold another ceremony, they should contact the high school by Friday. Also, anyone whose mortarboard or diploma were ruined by the rain should also contact the high school by Friday.