Meeting Called For Parents

BROOKSVILLE - In the wake of the public outcry caused by ticket-wielding family members who say they were denied entrance into this year's overcrowded Hernando High School graduation ceremony, a school board member has called a public meeting to "clear the air."

Hernando County School Board chairwoman Sandra Nicholson and Superintendent Wayne Alexander will host an informal meeting for Hernando High parents in the school's auditorium at 6 p.m. Monday.

Nicholson, a longtime board member who was onstage during the ceremony, said she requested the meeting as a forum for family members to vent about the problem and discuss solutions.

"I understand there have been a lot of problems and concerns about what happened at the graduation ceremony, so I've invited people (to the meeting) that want to come and discuss the issue," she said.

Guests of graduates have expressed frustration about situation since Tuesday, when dozens of parents and family members arrived at the Hernando High gymnasium to find guarded doors and an angry crowd.

Ironically, the meeting will be held in the same "overflow room" where as many as 200 family members watched the ceremony on a large-screen TV, after being turned away from the gym due to lack of space.

Approximately 70 of the school's staff members and teachers left the gym to make room for more parents, and assistant principal Diane Saltsman helped seat them.

Hernando High is the only area high school that has intentionally planned an indoor graduation ceremony in recent years.

"Obviously we can't go back and redo anything," Nicholson said. "We can't fix what happened, but we can see if there are some solutions for the future and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Alexander has said the issue will be resolved by having all future Hernando High graduation ceremonies outdoors at the school's stadium.

As part of his districtwide reorganization plan, Hernando High will also have a new batch of administrators next year, led by district staffer and former administrator Ken Pritz.

Set to take over as his assistant principals will Brent Gaustad, currently an assistant principal at Springstead High School; Jill Renihan, currently the assistant principal at West Hernando Middle; and Betty Krabel, who has agreed to end her 2006 retirement to accept the position.

The school's current principal, Betty Harper, will move to Deltona Elementary, and its assistant principals will move to other positions within the district.

But the decision to hold the graduation ceremony indoors has always been solely up to school's principal, school officials said.

Pritz announced at a May 27 School Advisory Council meeting that based on recommendations from the school's assistant principals, next year's ceremony will be held outside.

The meeting will take place at 6 p.m. at the school, located at 700 Bell Ave. in Brooksville.