LYNN — Superintendent Dr. Patrick Tutwiler announced this year’s high school graduations will take place outside at Manning Field and outlined his goals for the district during a School Committee meeting on Monday night.
Tutwiler said graduations for the district’s four high schools will take place over two days, with Fecteau-Leary and Lynn Vocational Technical Institute holding their ceremonies on Tuesday, June 1, and Lynn Classical and Lynn English on Wednesday, June 2.
On both days, one school will hold its ceremony in the morning, followed by the second scheduled school in the afternoon. Rain dates are scheduled for June 3 and June 4.
“Every aspect around safety and health are built into our plans as to where we stand now for graduation,” said Tutwiler.
For example, Tutwiler said the “traditional” graduation ceremonies hosted at Manning Field will enable each graduate to invite two people to sit socially distanced in the stands on either side of the field. The graduates will sit on the field with three feet of distance.
The ceremony will follow the guidance of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) regarding entry and exit protocols, ticketing, and keeping the celebration brief.
Tutwiler said his speech will be limited to about a minute, but the students speaking will be given three to five minutes to “elevate their voices and give them the opportunity they deserve to address their classmates.”
Deputy Superintendent Debra Ruggiero said the stage will be located in one of the endzones, with the chairs positioned lengthwise down the field to accommodate everyone. Lynn English, with 450 seniors, has the largest graduating class, so Ruggiero said the school will need to use as much of the field as it can.
Ruggiero said the diplomas will likely be placed on a table on the stage to avoid any touch points, but there are no definitive plans yet.
While graduation plans are still being developed, Tutwiler also spoke to the School Committee about his updated goals for the district, which include incorporating a more diverse staff and expanding family engagement and attendance intervention.
Tutwiler said the district is seeking to maintain a 90 percent daily attendance rate and to limit the increase in chronic absenteeism in the district to 5 percent or less by increasing outreach and communication with families, providing more translation services, collaborating with social workers and monitoring attendance on online platforms.
With a school year that has largely been remote, Tutwiler said he is still studying the impact the pandemic had on students and families, but he intends to “shape efforts and experiences that will improve student learning.”
Some of those actions include increasing the use of family communication platforms, such as School Messenger and Schoology, as well as obtaining technology to support those platforms.
Tutwiler also mentioned implementing actions to retain a racially- and linguistically-diverse staff as a goal for the district. To do so, Tutwiler said all Lynn Public Schools staff will engage in a yearlong professional development program on principles of equity. The district will also offer a program to identify and/or refine specific features for teachers of color.
In addition, Tutwiler said the district plans to launch a fellowship program in partnership with Salem State University.
Another one of Tutwiler’s goals is centered around accelerating learning for all age groups, an endeavor that will begin this summer. The initiative will be implemented with comprehensive data analysis, teacher input, and a review and analysis of DESE’s guide to student needs. The district also plans to analyze systems, structures and schedules to ensure an optimal system for students, Tutwiler said.
“This is a serious endeavor, and our intentions are sincere,” he said.
Another goal will focus on expanding and increasing family connections and partnerships. Tutwiler said some of that work will be done in coordination with the district’s new Welcome Center director and engagement specialist, who will focus on redesigning the registration process to improve families’ experiences, while developing qualifications and responsibilities for school-based parent liaisons.
“We’ve made critical adjustments to improve this partnership with families,” Tutwiler said. “This effort gives stronger student outcomes.”
The School Committee voted to accept and support Tutwiler’s goals for the district. The superintendent said he plans to continue presenting updates on high school graduation plans at future meetings.