CORNWALL, Ontario – St. Joseph’s Catholic Secondary School announced in a letter to parents that they are having to cancel the 2019-2020 prom due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have received communication from our local Chief Medical Officers of Health, and their public health perspective given that we are still seeing a growing number of COVID-19 cases in our region, is that they will not permit proms to take place,” reads the letter to parents from Principal Renee Rozon. “Therefore, it is with great disappointment that proms for the 2019-2020 school year are cancelled.”
The fate of graduation was also called into question, as schools are to remain closed until May 31 at the least.
An identical letter was sent to parents of students of the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO)’s other school in Cornwall, Holy Trinity.
There has yet to be word as to the fate of proms at public schools in the region under the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB).
On the La Citadelle Prom 2020 Facebook page, a statement from April 1 reads that the French Catholic School still plans to hold a prom, although it may be postponed.