POWAY: Four high schools to hold graduations

Four high schools in the Poway Unified School District will handout diplomas Thursday to a total of nearly 2,600 seniors.

At Poway High School, 662 seniors and their families will gatherat 6 p.m. at the football stadium to celebrate graduation. It willbe a less somber ceremony than last year’s, when the community wasmourning the deaths of two students, Veronica Aguirre and ChelseaKing.

Veronica was killed in December 2009 when she lost control of avehicle she was driving on Mountain Meadow Road in rural Escondido.Chelsea was murdered in February 2010 by a registered sexoffender.

“Chelsea and the other student were very popular kids so it madefor a sad graduation last year,” said Assistant Principal PeterMcKee. “This year (will be) very simple, clean anddistinguished.”

Rancho Bernardo High School is sending off 695 students at a 4p.m. ceremony at San Diego State University, while Westview HighSchool in Rancho Penasquitos is graduating 590 seniors at 3 p.m. atits football stadium.

At Mount Carmel High School, former Principal Tom McCoy willparticipate in the ceremony in which 540 students will receivediplomas. McCoy took a job in the Ventura County Office ofEducation in January; the new principal is Dawn Kastner. The eventstarts at 5:45 p.m. and is taking place at the school’s footballstadium.

“The students graduating remember McCoy as their principal,”said Judy Shuta, an administrative assistant to the principal.