|
|
October 17, 2003/Tishri 21 5764, Vol. 56, No. 4
Graduation date changes due to Shavuot
BETH OLSON
Staff Writer
The Scottsdale Unified School District has changed the date of 2004 graduation to May 24 to avoid a conflict with Shavuot.
The graduation was scheduled for May 25 - Erev Shavuot.
The action came after the school district received a letter from the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, which was signed by nine local rabbis; Cathy Wolf, director of the JCRC; and Michelle Steinberg and Nedda Shafir, co-chairwomen of the JCRC's Joint Task Force on Religion in the Public Schools.
The letter - sent to the Mesa, Scottsdale and Glendale Union districts, as well as Deer Valley Middle School - explains the holiday of Shavuot and how it is commonly observed, and requests that the districts reconsider holding graduation ceremonies on Shavuot.
Wolf said she is pleased with the decision and hopes to work more closely with schools in the future to prevent similar conflicts.
"I am appreciative to the Scottsdale school district for their sensitivity to our community's needs on these calendar concerns," said Wolf.
In September, prior to the letter being sent out, Tempe Union High School District moved graduation at five schools - Desert Vista, Corona del Sol, McClintock, Mountain Pointe and Marcos de Niza - from May 26 to May 27, at the urging of parents and staff in the district.
|
