HUNTERTOWN — Northwest Allen County Schools still doesn’t know what this year’s Carroll High School graduation ceremony will look like but — unsurprising to most — it won’t be like years past.

During a May 11 meeting of the NACS Board of School Trustees, Superintendent Chris Himsel shared a few potential scenarios, including a purely virtual commencement; a hybrid event in which small groups of people could gather to record sections of the ceremony a piece them together for students and their families; or simply delaying this year’s commencement.

Himsel said the district has discussed postponing the ceremony until as late as July. However, because the class of 2020 is so large, graduation would have to take place in segments with limited guests allowed. Like most area high schools, Carroll hosts its commencement ceremony at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum every year — an event that is typically attended by more than 7,000 people. As the district continues to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, that simply isn’t an option this year.

“There’s really not a good option available to us and this is one of the downsides of the size of our class, given all the restrictions on mass gatherings,” Himsel said. “… None of the options will accomplish everything that everyone wants to have done, but we’re going to try to come up with an option that allows parents to participate in some way, shape or form; students to have some type of closure and togetherness; and a way to honor our seniors. It won’t be perfect — we’ll just do the best we can …”

Himsel said Carroll Prinipal Brandon Bitting has met with student leaders to hear their ideas for this year’s graduation. The district had planned to communicate those ideas with families on May 19.

In other news

The NACS school board approved an attendance area adjustment that will assign elementary school students in the recently opened Copper Creek subdivision to Hickory Center Elementary School until the district’s newest elementary school, Aspen Meadow, opens. That is anticipated to occur in fall 2021 following a recent announcement that the project had been delayed.

With the adjustment, the district hopes to alleviate pressure at Huntertown, Eel River, Perry Hill, Oak View and Cedar Canyon elementary schools, which are all currently at or over capacity. Adding to enrollment concerns — because the district learned so late in the school year that Aspen Meadow would not be ready to open this fall, it was already too late to arrange for additional portable classrooms, Himsel said.

Middle school students residing in Copper Creek will be assigned to Maple Creek Middle School until updated middle school attendance areas are implemented, which is not expected to happen until fall 2022 at the earliest.

The attendance adjustment will not affect any currently enrolled students.