Class of 2021 graduation looms for DeKalb High School seniors as district officials prepare for the day

DeKALB – About 350 DeKalb High School seniors have committed so far to attended their Class of 2021 graduation in a few weeks, and district officials are also prepping for a fall return to full classroom learning.

High school graduation and returning to full in-person learning for the 2021-22 school year were the main topics of the DeKalb School Board meeting Tuesday evening.

Also during the school board meeting, Kelly Zerby, an elementary physical education teacher at Jefferson Elementary School, was recognized for being named elementary P.E. teacher of the year by the Illinois Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

An in-person graduation ceremony will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, May 29, at Northern Illinois University’s Convocation Center.

Interim Superintendent Griff Powell described the upcoming graduation as “the first time the community is going to come together so much in more than a year.”

He said that about 350 seniors have committed to attend the ceremony, which will look a little different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. School board members will take turns distributing the diplomas, will be not be permitted handshaking or physical contact unless students and board members have a close relationship.

Principal James Horne said that “by and large, it was very important [to the students] that they come together one last time,” all in one group, not split into separate groups. Each student is allowed up to 10 tickets a family to attend graduation, and 50 staff members can be in attendance. The graduation’s guest speaker will be Minerva Garcia-Sanchez, the school district’s new superintendent. She will begin a three-year term on July 1.

Plans for upcoming year

Powell said that the school district is planning for a full, in-person return to learning this upcoming school year. On Wednesday morning, the Illinois Board of Education will vote upon a resolution to support in-person learning.

According to district documents, the plan for the 2021-22 school year will mandate all schools must resume fully in-person learning for all student attendance days, “provided that … remote instruction be made available for students who are not eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine and are under a quarantine order by a local public health department or the Illinois Department of Health,” according to the resolution.

The next DeKalb School Board meeting will be held 7 p.m. June 1.