2025 is the first year that APS graduation has occurred one and a half weeks earlier than the official last day of high school. Across the county, students are confused about the off timing–with many left doing final projects or ‘busy work’ during the last several weeks. At H-B, the differences are especially prominent, since longstanding last day traditions include a senior send-off assembly and a final teacher-student lunch. Frank Bellavia, the spokesperson for Arlington Public Schools, spoke with The Current about the motivation behind the change.
When making the decision, APS administrators’ first consideration was “aligning with practices in neighboring school districts,” a move that was anticipated amidst the recent work of APS to change the summer and break schedules in an effort to stay consistent with other Northern Virginia public schools. Additionally, Bellavia cited “the logistical challenges” of ending the school year at the same time as graduation as well as the “limited availability” of graduation venues during peak season. These considerations, according to the district, were enough to move graduation in order to promote a more “streamlined” end-of-year for students and staff.
While APS’s reasoning is sound, the change nevertheless affects upperclassmen in numerous ways. Many classes contain a mix of juniors and seniors, which has resulted in a kind of limbo as teachers instruct or give assignments to just half of a normal class. APS expects teachers to “continue providing instruction” and to “plan accordingly” to ensure students are engaged until the end of the year.
The most evident effect of an earlier graduation at H-B is the shift of senior-specific traditions. The district states that the decision “was not intended to disrupt school traditions” and encourages schools “to adapt activities around the revised dates.” While dates for the 25-26 school year are “still being finalized,” and the district is not yet sure of the timing of graduation festivities, one major change is definitely happening next year. W&L, Yorktown, and Wakefield’s upcoming senior classes are too big to fit in DAR Constitution Hall, so graduation in the next few years will happen at George Mason University. This was a slight letdown for more aesthetically minded H-B students, many of whom wished to walk their home school graduation at the stately venue.
While the logistical arguments for an earlier graduation are strong, H-B’s end-of-year festivities are nonetheless diminished without our beloved seniors.
