A Panther Valley teacher and alumna, Jennifer Jones came before the school board Wednesday with a simple request.

She wants to hand her son, Brady, his diploma when he graduates next month.

“I’ve seen countless students cross the graduation stage, and I’ve been proud to play a role, however small, in their journeys,” Jones told the board.

“Today, I’d like to make a simple and heartfelt request,” she said, “the opportunity to personally hand my son his diploma at this year’s commencement ceremony.”

This has been a long tradition in the Panther Valley School District, and one that added “a deeply personal and meaningful moment to an already momentous day,” Jones said.

“Both faculty and board members were allowed to present their children,” she said. “It was a tradition rooted in respect, pride and the close knit nature of our cohesive academic community.”

But board policy changed the practice of faculty members handing out diplomas and Jones believes it is worth bringing back and preserving, she said.

“Recently, several board members have had the opportunity to do this for their children, and I believe it would be a professional courtesy to allow faculty the same privilege,” Jones said.

“I sincerely hope you’ll consider this request as a way to honor a tradition that has brought pride and joy to faculty before,” she said.

Board members said they could discuss the matter at an upcoming meeting, or during an executive session afterward.

But Director Michael Alabovitz said he doesn’t’ have a problem with the practice, and at least two other board members agreed with him.

They then discussed whether the board needed to change the policy, or clarify the district’s policy on graduation, or if any board action was needed to allow the practice.

The policy states that the superintendent decides on graduation procedures and a designee, usually the junior/senior high school principal, carries them out, Robert Palazzo, interim superintendent, said.

Jones said that she has been trying to get an answer on whether or not the practice would be allowed, and noted that there are usually very few faculty members with graduating children each year.

The board and Palazzo assured her that she would have an answer within the week.

Jones didn’t have to wait a week.

“I am excited to share that the Panther Valley School District will be moving forward with offering administration and teachers the opportunity to hand their children a diploma at graduation when their child graduates,” Palazzo said in an email Thursday.

“The district shares the sentiments of Mrs. Jen Jones, … that this is a great opportunity to provide a memorable experience for both the student and their parent,” he said.

Palazzo believes there will be other faculty/administration parents who will also want to present this year, but didn’t have a number.