Academic Awards Disrupted

by Stewart Lilker


Traditionally, the FHS Academic Awards Assembly has been a hi-light of the school year for the school community. Teachers, students, parents and administrators took pride in the academic achievement of Freeport’s students. The Academic Awards Assembly has been celebrated in the past by well attended evening ceremonies.

This year’s Awards Assembly was scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on May 23d. On May 16th, without any explanation, the H.S. parents received a letter rescheduling the May 23d Academic Awards Assembly to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 7th. FNYN has learned that the May 23d ceremony, which had been scheduled a year earlier, had to be canceled because the awards were not going to be received in time.

On Wednesday, May 31st, the district clerk posted a notice on the Administration Building changing the purpose of the Board’s June 7th, 7:30 p.m. Planning Meeting to include "action items and comment from the public." This apparently caused a scheduling conflict with the awards ceremony, scheduled to take place at the High School at the same time.

In what one parent described as "indescribably inconsiderate and thoughtless," the FHS Awards Assembly was rescheduled once again, this time for Wednesday afternoon, June 7th. At the last minute, on Friday, June 2nd, a letter went out to the parents notifying them of the change in time to the coming Wednesday afternoon. Rather than rescheduling the Board Planning Meeting to eliminate the conflict with the Awards Assembly, the district chose, once again, to disrupt the Academic Awards Assembly.

FNYN has learned that many of the parents who might have attended the Awards Assembly didn’t receive the letter in time to take off from work, if indeed they could have. Some of the students who were going to receive awards were at interscholastic sporting events. Many parents didn’t receive the letter at all.

One High School parent told FNYN, "That’s it. This is the last straw. I just can’t take it anymore. My child was supposed to get an award and can’t be there. My children come first. I’m outa here."