Mt. Vernon, Miller school districts set dates for end of year activities, look to get back on track

Graduation, prom may still be salvaged following stay-at-home order
When Governor Mike Parson announced that classes in Missouri would not resume for the remainder of the school year, students were left with several questions. What about prom, graduation? These events, along with awards ceremonies, sports banquets and several other end-of-the-year traditions were all put on hold, indefinitely.
While these events were left up in the air, local school officials made it clear that it was their intent to get them rescheduled so that students weren’t missing out on these time-honored happenings.
Parents and students were notified Friday, April 17, that plans had been made and dates had been tentatively set for prom, graduation and other events that were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mt. Vernon
Mt. Vernon School District Superintendent Scott Cook released a statement that the high school prom has been rescheduled for Friday, June 5, at the original location of the Gambrel Barn in Verona. That is, unless social distancing restrictions have not been lifted by that time, in which case, prom would unfortunately be canceled altogether.
Baccalaureate will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 10. If, in the event distancing restrictions are still in effect, the event will be streamed virtually. Updates and information will be made available closer to that time.
The date for graduation has been set for 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 11, at the high school. All options are being considered as to how the ceremony can be restructured if individuals are unable to gather at that point.
 Dates for summer school have been discussed but Cook has said he does not have the confidence to move forward with definite dates just yet, although he is thinking that late June or July could be possibilities. The dates will be released as soon as they become official.
Miller
The Miller School District has also finalized plans for their end-of-the-year activities, slating their events for later in the summer season.
Prom, baccalaureate and graduation will all be held at the end of July. Miller’s prom will be held Wednesday, July 29, at The Gaderian in Carthage, the original location that had been planned. Baccalaureate and graduation will take place July 30 and July 31 at Round Grove Baptist Church and Miller High School, respectively. Both ceremonies will begin at 6 p.m.
Miller superintendent Dr. Dustin Storm said that neither eighth grade graduation nor sixth grade graduation ceremonies are likely to be rescheduled, but awards and certificates that have been earned will be provided to students.
As of press time, plans regarding the remainder of the school year at Miller Elementary School were being discussed, but had not been finalized.
Plans for other Lawrence County Schools had not been finalized and made accessible as of press time.