Well done graduates!

Congrats to the class of 2011, wish you the best of luck in all you do....Enjoy life while you can, have fun along the way......

Congrats Class of 2011! Especially my beautiful daughter Kayla!! I'm so proud!

What a great day for all the students and families. Thanks to the Patch for posting all the pictures!

Apparenty this class seemed to have now spoil it for future graduating classes of EHS..

Dear Parents and Guardians:

I am angry, sad, and embarrassed after Saturday evening’s graduation ceremony. The behavior of our graduates went far beyond high-spirited celebration, and was completely unacceptable. I apologize to the parents of our graduates…what should have been a night of celebration quickly devolved into an embarrassing spectacle. Drastic changes are needed for next year’s graduation, and I am committed to returning our ceremony to a civil and dignified event. Next fall I plan to assemble a team of parents and teachers to institute major revisions to our current graduation protocol…including a possible change of venue. I t is my responsibility to organize and execute graduation—and I accept full responsibility for Saturday’s debacle.

I welcome your feedback or suggestions moving forward. Please feel free to email me at dpiperato@eastpennsd.org about graduation or any other topic you would like to discuss.

My sincerest apologies,

David F. Piperato
Principal

Please don't judge the event if you were not there. It was overall lovely and efficient. A few beach balls, discreetly controlled by staff, and not that bothersome at all, and a couple shout outs from the audience, which were brief and ignored. The student speeches were concise, humorous, and touching; the event was well organized and as efficient as it could be with 640+ students; and the vast majority of students were well behaved, patient, and enjoyed a happy and celebratory evening. We were proud of our graduate and his friends and our visiting family enjoyed the event.

I agree with you commoncents, Im sure the students just wanted to graduate and get on with there lives. Nothing wrong with a little fun now and then...Beach Balls, why did we not think of that back in 1973 ?????

@ Commoncents

I am sure if it was not that bad of a situation with a few distractions The Principal would not of sent out a letter to the parents of students at Emmaus .Until we know the full story of what actually took place one must assume by this letter it was not very good behavior.

I prefer to be more positive and not assume the worst -- I was responding because I was there and no one in our extended family was perturbed, including 4 elderly grandparents. Perhaps something happened behind the scenes that most people are unaware of, but I talked to dozens of folks afterwards; everyone thought it was a great event, no problems. We are grateful to all the faculty and staff at EHS for putting on a memorable event.

Apparently, a number of people were very disturbed. My understanding is that it will be a topic of discussion at tonight's school board meeting.

I'm sorry that certain spoiled inviduals chose to behave in an obnoxious manner! I support the principal and the superintendent to take whatever steps are needed to improve the situation. I heard some of the stories and it was a lot more than just a beech ball or 2. In no way do I mean this in generalized manner as their are many fine students and parents who represented this class well.

The Morning Call has a more detailed article surrounding Saturday night's graduation and Mr. Piperato's opinion of the events.

If Mr Piperato felt angry, sad, and embarrassed why did he not stop the graduation and make a statement asking the students to stop. I was there and he did nothing. The only person who actually stopped reading names, momentarily, was AP Kate Kieres. The principal did nothing, the school board president was there and he did nothing(tho' I don't know if it was his place to do anything). There was actually as much ballyho from the audience as from the students. There were parents with air horns and lots of applause in a generally energetic and happy atmosphere. the students were definitely paying attention to the names being read becasue for two students, in particular, they gave a huge ovation. I am saddened, angry and embarrassed that Mr. Piperato would send this letter. I am proud of my daughter and proud of her class and not embarrassed at all.

Alan Earnshaw has seen beach balls at graduation before. But the 10-year-verteran of the East Penn School Board wasn't prepared for the botched processional exit, thrown wads of paper and hissing sound of air released from balloons at Emmaus High School's graduation on Saturday.

Earnshaw called it the most disruptive graduation behavior he's ever seen. And that was just what he noticed while he was busy handing out diplomas.

The situation led high school principal David Piperato on Monday morning to send an e-mail newsletter to parents, saying he's "angry, sad, and embarrassed" over student behavior and plans to re-evaluate the format of next year's ceremony in response.
School board president Charles Ballard said the ceremony had to be stopped several times to ask both students and audience members to remain quiet and courteous. After all students were given their diplomas, the processional exit was stalled by students who left their seats to mill around in the aisles, Earnshaw said.

Piperato wrote that student behavior went far beyond high-spirited celebration and was completely unacceptable. The letter says Piperato accepts full responsibility for "Saturday's debacle" and drastic changes are needed for next year's ceremony.

The school plans to assemble a team of parents and teachers to revise the graduation protocol, and Piperato suggested possibly changing venues from Stabler Arena in Bethlehem, where the district has held graduation for about 20 years. The principal wrote that the goal is return the ceremony to a civil and dignified event.

I attended the graduation on Saturday night. I was a bit amazed as I walked in to find food stands operational and flowers being sold. Frankly, there could have been tshirt stands I didn't see. I felt as if I was headed to a basketball game not my daughter's graduation. That being said I was grateful to get a seat where I could see everything that was going on. The ceremony proceeded uneventfully until the names of the students started to be called. To be honest, it could have been a very long ceremony, had the students not brought out the balloons and yes, the beach balls. The balloons were harmless and the paper was not thrown until the "monitors" had taken away all of the balloons and balls. Had they just left the kids to bat one or two of the balloons, the paper would not have entered the picture. The students were paying attention to the names being called as were the parents and applause was given after each name was announced. I think the overreaction to this ceremeny was brought on my the principal, who by the way, did nothing to stop the behavior. I have spoken with many families since the graduation and no one has complained about any of it. To call it a "debacle" is exagerating. The kids have been stiffled for 12 years and have abided by the system. There were almost 700 of them. Do you really expect them to sit quietly for 2 hours in a circus-like venue when they have just completed the biggest event of their lives?

I was a 1993 graduate. Beach balls are a fine tradition. We had them at our graduation. I support the students blowing off some steam. The kids work hard all year. Do you really think you should hold someones diploma for throwing a beach ball? Our ceremony was long and boring until the balls came out. They took our balls, and we blew up new ones. The principal yelled at us also, big deal. To the school board who wants to have a armed police officer at next years graduation, to arrest students who are (disruptive). Expect lawsuits from parents . There is a war in the middle east, it is hard to find jobs, even with a degree. Kids should have fun while they can, and throwing a beach ball does not make someone a hardened criminal. They did not hurt anybody.

Congratulations class of 2011. Especially to my son Trenton Bors! I'm very proud of you. Your mother Sonya Simmons