MPCSD settles on June graduation date

MT. PLEASANT - The Mt. Pleasant Community School District has officially scheduled their graduation for June 27.

At the Board of Education's monthly meeting held on Monday, MPCHS Principal Todd Leichty, said the school plans to 'graduate kids on the 27th of June regardless.”

Though the hope is social distancing guidelines will be relaxed and the school will be able to hold their ceremony at Mapleleaf Athletic Complex with all students and families gathered, the school has a backup plan if that is not the case.

If a group graduation is not a possibility, Leichty again explained students would be called to the high school's graduation beginning 9 a.m. on June 27 in groups of 30. Each student will have an opportunity to walk across a small stage at the building's library with family members present.

Leichty also explained the school's Senior Awards Night will be held virtually on June 3 over Zoom.

'Jostens has provided us a Zoom platform that can have up to 1000 people on the platform and you can broadcast it outside of that so we should be able to have everyone that wants to attend at that ceremony,” Leichty said.

In addition, the school will be holding a senior recognition drive on Sunday, May 17, their original graduation date.

'We're going to receive yard signs that says ‘MPCHS Class of 2020' with the school logo, kid's first name and picture. We're going to offer the kids a drive-by parade,” Leichty said.

Students can choose to pick up their individual posters following the parade. Those who do not choose to pick up their signs immediately after will have their posters displayed on windows of businesses in the downtown area.

During the meeting, Superintendent John Henriksen gave the board an update on upcoming projects. Henriksen noted the Middle School's main floor bathroom would soon be redone and the district would be receiving bids for Salem Elementary's front drive project. The district also purchased floor scrubbers for the elementary school buildings.

The board also approved a construction contract with Myers Construction for the district's new pickleball courts. Henriksen noted the contract amounts to about $190,000. The company plans to begin moving equipment to the grounds later in the week or early the following week.

In addition to the pickleball court contract, the board approved a loan with Pilot Grove Bank for the purchase of four new school buses at $430,696 as well as a lease agreement for the district's Central Office.

The office will remain at 1010 E. Washington St., but will move to a suite west of the current offices. Henriksen said the move was because of a 'lack of privacy issue” with the way the current offices are formatted.