For Some, Celebrating Graduation was a Back Room Affair

While hundred of families and friends took seats in Hauppauge High School's auditorium last Sunday afternoon to watch the Class of 2011 graduate, dozens of others were forced to watch the celebration from a distance.

Hauppauge High School has held its commencement exercises indoors for more than 30 years, and move that unlike outdoor ceremonies, comes with seating limitations. That means graduating seniors are only given four tickets for friends and family.

It's a policy that’s left large and extended families debating who receives the tickets and who has watch the ceremony on streaming video from an overflow classroom.

Three nearby classrooms were set up to show the ceremony via streaming video broadcast onto the district's new Promethean Boards, a screen that can handle video playback. Grandparents and young children alike climbed into student desks in the dark classroom, clustering in front of one of three screens.

Numerous calls to the school district for comment were not returned.

The district has said the indoor graduation takes weather out of the equation, and the large auditorium provides a comfortable setting for guests and grads.

But one woman told Patch that the live stream broadcast was shot from too far away from the stage, so making out out any of the graduates or speakers was difficult. Others strained to hear the graduation speakers, who were nearly inaudible due to the quality of the audio broadcasting.

Parents and family members often turned to one another asking what was said, sometimes giving up and speaking over the broadcast. Many others pulled out their smartphones, surfing or texting rather than paying any attention to the video.

None of them wanted Patch to use their names for publication.

Most Long Island high school hold their ceremonies outdoors - Bayport-Blue Point, Commack, Elwood-John Glenn, Huntington, Kings Park, Miller Place, Port Jefferson, Rocky Point, Sachem East and North, Smithtown East and West, Ward Melville, Walt Whitman and West Islip - on sports fields or football stadiums, weather permitting, to accommodate the crowd.

But Hauppauge joins Half Hollow Hills as one of a few districts who intentionally schedule their graduation ceremony to take place indoors.

It’s a move that has its defenders, though.

In response to a question on Hauppauge Patch, Tony Werner said the school’s sports field “is not really handicapped accessible. Sidewalks and ramps would need to be added at additional taxpayer expense.”

Another commenter, Ro, said, “We are very fortunate in Hauppauge to have a huge, beautiful, air conditioned auditorium. Something most high schools on Long Island don't have.” But the commenter’s claim that “additional guests can watch the ceremony from air conditioned classrooms on huge screens set up, which zoom right in on the graduates' and speakers' faces,” wasn’t the case.

But it’s not the location of graduation, but the day that has locals debating.

Superintendent Patricia Sullivan-Kriss put a proposal before the Board of Education at their June 7 meetings to consider moving the district’s graduation from Sundays to Fridays, in order to shorten the time between prom and graduation to improve student safety. This opened debate within the community.

In response to a question on Hauppauge Patch, reader Kim commented, “I vote for Saturday. Sunday is an issue for families that are churchgoers and active members of a congregation. In a lot of churches it's not just about going to service in the morning and your done. There are typically bible studies and small groups meeting at some point that day.”

However, others backed the tradition of holding commencement on Sunday.

“Sunday is not an issue for thousands of Hauppauge residents, but Saturday is. Not everyone goes to church on Sunday. Not everyone is Christian. Friday night and Saturday are holy days for many,” said Patch commenter Howard Knispel.

The superintendent was going to meet with the high school principal Christine O`Connor before setting a date for the 2012 graduation.