Elementary schools get creative for Grade 7 graduates

Say cheese!

Grade 7 graduates smiled, held certificates, and posed with life-sized cardboard cutouts of their teachers, principal, and school chaplain to mark the completion of their studies at St. Helen’s Elementary School.

Principal Waldemar Sambor said the unusual photo-op was one way the school adapted to follow COVID-19 pandemic guidelines about gathering and keeping 2-metre distances between people. St. Helen’s also had fewer than 50 students gather in the church and fewer than 50 parents in the gymnasium for a graduation ceremony that was broadcast live to others.

Outside in the parking lot, where graduates received their diplomas one by one, the faces of all Grade 7 grads were printed onto signs and placed in seats facing the stage.

Meanwhile, St. Anthony of Padua Elementary took a cue from many high schools and hosted a drive-through ceremony for its 22 graduates.

“Families were blessed to be present, from the safe distance inside their vehicles, to see their child receive their diplomas,” said parent Wendy Young. 

Father Justin Huang, pastor of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, led prayers during the ceremony, and principal Michael Perry and Grade 7 teacher Janice Son shared some encouraging remarks. 

Young was very grateful. “Thank you for being the hands of Jesus,” she said.

St. James and St. Ann’s Elementary grads lined up for socially-distanced grad class photos during their year-end celebrations. Several ceremonies had to be held to accommodate the numbers of students and guests.

In Vancouver, Our Lady of Sorrows Elementary bade a special farewell to the Grade 7s with a Mass for only the graduates June 19 and an awards ceremony with parents on June 22.

“As every day we still see a few new cases of COVID, we must ensure that we were completely prepared to host the Grade 7 families in the safest, and most organized way,” said principal Pasquale Balletta in a letter to parents. “This may have caused some uncertainty ... thank you for your patience.”

Meanwhile a fan club for B.C. health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry appeared to have sprung up at at Our Lady of Sorrows where staff donned T-shirts quoting Henry’s popular “Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe.”

An artist connected to the school community produced T-shirts that said “Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe, I’m with Bonnie” as a fundraiser, with partial proceeds going toward the Surrey Women’s Centre and Food Banks of B.C.

Staff of Our Lady of Sorrows purchased several and wore them proudly.