What dropped gathering limits will mean for P.E.I.'s graduation, prom season

High school seniors on the Island could have a graduation and prom resembling pre-pandemic celebrations that previous classes were privileged to.

Limits to personal and organized gatherings were among the mandates that were dropped on April 6 as part of P.E.I.'s transition plan out of the pandemic.

Now, the graduating class of 2022, who have spent the last two years adjusting to COVID-19, may see their luck change.

Three Oaks Senior High School principal Jacqueline Reeves said there is excitement from students, parents and staff to return to their traditional celebrations.

The school's graduation is back at Credit Union Place — a venue the school hasn't used since 2019 because of restrictions.

"I think all students from 2020 and 2021 were appreciative of what our school had been able to do for them with the safety measures put in place due to COVID," she said.

"However, it's nice to get back to a sense of normalcy. Looking forward to June and celebrating as a class."

Reeves said the optimism to continue with these unrestricted plans will largely depend on the updates coming out of the province's Chief Public Health Office.

At Montague Regional High School, principal Robyn MacDonald said she is still waiting to finalize plans according to what's allowed within the guidelines.

Over the past two years, their graduation ceremonies have been successfully divided into chunks to accommodate physical distancing with smaller groups.

"The length of time of the graduation is reduced significantly … it's more personal when there's a smaller number of students to walk across the stage," she said.

"We've also livestreamed the graduation, which we hadn't done before COVID, so that was another positive thing that happened."

The positive feedback, said MacDonald, will more or less push the school to keep things the same this year despite the loosened restrictions.

But she said the flexibility is welcomed as the dropped limits will add to the confidence and experience the school has gained when it comes to planning around the pandemic.