Fargo Public Schools allows guests at graduations

May 26, 2020

FARGO, N.D. –Superintendent Dr. Rupak Gandhi eased the minds of parents and students at Fargo North, Fargo South, and Davies high schools with a change of plans for the upcoming graduation ceremonies.

“We should be able to move forward now, with the blessing of Fargo Cass Public Health, to have a ceremony that allows for two guests per graduate and only have one ceremony with all of our students,” said Dr. Gandhi.

Dr. Gandhi announced these plans at a school board meeting. Initial plans were to have the ceremonies, but to only allow students and certain faculty members to attend.

Unhappy about the idea of missing their children’s big moment, parents spoke out and created a petition to make a change.

Several of those parents were together for a watch party to hear Dr. Ghandi reveal his latest decision.

“I got very emotional. There were tears,” said mother of Fargo North senior triplets, Lori McClary. “There were a couple moms at the table that shed some tears, but this is exactly what we wanted.”

Parents weren’t the only ones pushing for the result.

Student council presidents from all three schools put their heads together and took their time to present a plan to both Dr. Ghandi and Fargo Cass Public Health on what they thought would be a safe event that would allow for guests.

Dr. Gandhi said he was very impressed with the students and the work they put in.

“Hard work has payed off for sure,” said Fargo North student council president, Elly Kenninger. “We were willing to do the work and not have the outcome be the best, but just knowing that it finally worked out is awesome.”

“It was the biggest sigh of relief I have probably ever had,” added Fargo South student council president, AJ Anderson. “Just to know that our hard work really payed off. This has been such an emotion-filled couple weeks. We at least get to have our parents now with us and it is going to be such a great experience.”

Both students also say that after the last couple months of unpredictability, the result has given them a sense a normalcy as they get to look forward to ending their high school careers surrounded by the people that mean the most, just as they always thought they would.

You can watch the full school board meeting below.