HALIFAX -- Some Maritime school districts are already making the call about this year's prom and graduation ceremonies for high school students.

The superintendent of New Brunswick's Anglophone East School District, Gregg Ingersoll, sent a letter to Grade 12 students and their parents last week saying they plan to alter their graduation ceremonies in order to follow COVID-19 public health guidelines.

In the letter sent to students and parents, it reads, "Due to the state of the pandemic, schools are not able to host traditional graduation activities including prom, athletic and academic banquets, and safe grad."

There are some guidelines that New Brunswick graduation ceremonies must follow, which include:

  • holding them in the month of June
  • they must meet provincial restrictions in place at the time
  • and any graduation plan must be approved by the director of schools

Ingersoll says either way, they do plan on finding a way to honour the graduating class of 2021.

In Nova Scotia, decisions to cancel or alter proms and graduations have yet to be made. Education Minister Zach Churchill says the type of ceremony will depend on the state of the COVID-19 situation in the province.

"It's too early to say exactly what we'll be able to do," said Churchill. "The better we do keeping our case numbers down, that means following protocols, wearing your masks, then the better chance we're going to have in having more interesting celebrations for more people."

Graduates this year are hopeful to have some traditional celebrations when it comes to their graduation and prom.

"Prom has really been my biggest concern because I was really excited for prom," said Kiersten O'Quinn-Wetzel, a Grade 12 student at Dartmouth High School. "As a Grade 12 (student), it's something you really look forward to in the year and I really wanted prom to happen."

"For graduation, it would be cool to walk across the stage with all my fellow classmates but we probably won't be able to do that," said Ethan Murphy, a student at Dartmouth High School.

Churchill says Nova Scotia Public Health will have the final say on what type of graduation events will be safe and appropriate to hold in the province.