Some students in the previous eighth grade ceremony have complained about the recent changes. Brianna Fontaine, now a freshmen at Killingly High School, was one of the few aggravated by the changes. She says how it “Felt lonely without the other team,” and that it “seemed a bit small” (Fontaine).

 

According to Fontaine the principal is to blame for the adjustments, even though the reason for the changes were to benefit the students. Fontaine says how the word recognition was “forced into it." Though there are people like Brianna who are upset with the new set up, not all are upset.

 

Another former 8th grade "graduate" from Killingly Intermediate School, Derrick Zanni, “had no problem” with the ceremony. “Isn’t as big of a deal as a high school graduation,” he says (Zanni).

 

“It's a tough situation,” says Fontaine, “If someone in my grade passed away, they wouldn’t be able to experience a graduation. We should all have been recognized together” (Fontaine).

 

Now that might seem a little overdramatic, but Killingly has one of the highest dropout rates in Connecticut, coming in the fourth statewide (KBOFI). For some of the students, 8th grade would be the only “graduation” or any form of recognition they’ll ever experience (NYT).

 

Current students also have some thoughts on the recognition this year. For starters, Kassadee Lewis, an 8th grade student attending Killingly Intermediate School, currently says that she’d prefer how the ceremony was previously held before the drastic changes were made. Like Brianna, Kassadee says her parents won't be able to attend since the recognition is held during school times when they are working (Lewis).
 

“I don't think it's a big deal,” says Lewis, “but it's still my experience and I want to share it with the people I grew up with” (Lewis).

 

Some people jump to conclusions, which, of course, is typical. The sides that were not really expressed were the teachers and an administrator’s point of view. Believe it or not, there was a misunderstanding about who said what. Almost like a tricky game of telephone. Teachers were actually the ones who first expressed their concerns about the end of the year 2014 eighth grade event to the soon to be principal Mrs. Taylor.  They felt it shouldn't hold the same signficance as an actual high school graduation. 

 

The plan for the new ceremony was to split the teams and hold the it during the day. Patrick Ruffo, 8th grade math teacher and Scorpion team leader, says "It was better because we got to acknowledge the students we knew all year and worked with overall. And we were also able to give out more rewards.”

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Mrs. Taylor, the current principal of the Intermediate School, is passionate about her job. She enjoys working with kids, and understands that kids get passionate in what they believe in. She says that making the final decision was not her's alone. In fact, she had even asked around with students about the change. “As a principal I have to make quick decisions all day long,” she says.

 

One detail that Mrs. Taylor didn't agree with was the music that the students would walk into. She says “I just don't think Pomp and Circumstance was appropriate for the occasion, because that's something that senior graduates walk into. This is not that case in middle school.” 

 

She decided that each homeroom would chosen their own song to walk into.

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Then came the negative pushback, some of which was over the top to say the least.  Mrs. Taylor was even informed that there had been a student online, saying vulgar things about the new changes. Another group of students formed a facebook page in protest, though the overall numbers of students that were upset was quite small.  Still some of thier complaints were valid. 

 

Many students have friends on the other team and they would have liked to experience the ceremony with them. 

Another reason of being upset is that some parents were not able to attend because the ceremony was in the middle of the day.

 

But after the ceremony, Mrs. Taylor mostly remembers positive comments on how it was done from parents, teachers, and students as well. When asked what her further plans were for this coming up years ceremony, it was said to be the same as the year previous.

 

Not surprisingly, Killingly is not the only town that struggles with the same controversy. Schools usually press on the students to not go overboard, while parents want thier students want to be "recognized." 

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Teachers were worried about the competitive aspect as well. In years past, students would spend a lot of money on dresses, hair, nails, etc. More or less in the exact same manner as a high graduation preparation. "Essentially," said Mr. Ruffo “It put those who couldn’t do those things in a uncomfortable situation where they felt like they were at a competition.”

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President Obama has even given his point of view on the whole thing saying “Now, hold on a second this is just eighth grade. Let’s not go over the top. Let’s not have a huge party. Let’s just give them a handshake. You’re suppose to graduate from eighth grade.” (President Obama)

 

 An education scholar, Diane Ravita, disagrees with the President. She says, “I don't think anyone should say ‘hey it's only eighth grade’ because lots of parents celebrate their child's accomplishments. And we don't say ‘hey it's only little league’” she says. “At least we have parents celebrating their child's educational achievements it says there are good rewards in staying in school” (Ravita).

 

Either way you are ending a chapter of your life while starting another, and whether it’s called a recognition, promotion or graduation, it really doesn’t matter. It’s the idea of an education that matters, and that is a never­ending process.

 

Internet Sources:

Schwartz, Robert. "Middle School 'Graduation' Is No Time for Excessive Celebration." The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post.com, n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2016.

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Hoffman, Jan. "Does 8th­Grade Pomp Fit the Circumstance?" The New York Times. The New York Times, 21 June 2008. Web. 02 Mar. 2016

 

"State and Federal Programs / Killingly Board of Education Initiative." State and Federal Programs / Killingly Board of Education Initiative. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2016 IRL Sources:

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Mr. Ruffo (Scorpion Team Leader) Ruffo, Mr. "8th Grade Ceremony." Interview by Soudalath Souvanhnaphan and Darlene Gonzalez. 8th Grade End of the Year Controversy [Killingly] Feb.­Mar. 2016

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Jonathan Cresswell (8th grader) Cresswell, Jonathan. "8th Grade Ceremony." Interview by Soudalath Souvanhnaphan and Darlene Gonzalez. 8th Grade End of the Year Controversy [Killingly] Feb.­Mar. 2016

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Kassadee Lewis (8th grader) Lewis, Kassadee. "8th Grade Ceremony." Interview by Soudalath Souvanhnaphan and Darlene Gonzalez. 8th Grade End of the Year Controversy [Killingly] Feb.­Mar. 2016

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Mrs. Taylor (KIS principle) Taylor, Mrs. "8th Grade Ceremony." Interview by Soudalath Souvanhnaphan and Darlene Gonzalez. 8th Grade End of the Year Controversy [Killingly] Feb.­Mar. 2016

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Brianna Fontaine (freshmen) Fontaine, Brianna. "8th Grade Ceremony." Interview by Soudalath Souvanhnaphan and Darlene Gonzalez. 8th Grade End of the Year Controversy [Killingly] Feb.­Mar. 2016