Conroe ISD officials say seniors expected to graduate on time

Conroe ISD seniors are expected to graduate on time despite the district’s prolonged closure due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to a Facebook livestream March 25.

Superintendent Curtis Null and Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Gregg Colschen said the district is expected to graduate its 4,500 seniors as planned. Colschen said both Sam Houston University and Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion have said they are both still willing to host ceremonies if restrictions on groups are lifted by then.

“We’ve started conversations with our principals about, ‘What if?’” Colschen said. “What if we’re not back in schools? What if there are still restrictions that limit us to crowd sizes?”

Colschen said the district could move graduations to the summer, as many universities have done. He said if restrictions on group sizes still remain in effect, the district could split each graduating class into groups of 200 and then limit available tickets.

“Obviously, it’s important to get as many people into the ceremony as we can because of the importance of these ceremonies,” Colschen said.

High schools’ proms are more up in the air, according to Colschen. The district is expected to return students to campuses April 13. The first prom in the district is April 24. Colschen said as it stands, proms should be able to go on as planned providing restrictions on gathering sizes are lifted.

Testing for Advanced Placement, or AP, courses has been altered by the College Board, and Colschen said the exact timeline of the new testing dates have not been released. He said the test has been changed to a 45-minute online free response for the exams’ essay questions.

For seniors who have no decided what college they are planning to attend, Nulll said college and career counselors are still working and can help students remotely.

Meals and hotlines

• Null said the district has distributed about 80,000 meals from its 10 distribution sites. Meals are available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
• The district has opened a nurses hotline for parents with questions and concerns at 936-709-7791. Null clarified the hotline is not meant to replace 911 or a doctor’s office.