Hello, Seniors!
Only four more days until the BIG DAY!
We wanted to share the details of the graduation plan as they currently stand. It is highly unlikely they will change from this point forward.
We will be using Graduation Plan B from our previous messages to you. Here are the general details:
Arrival, Parking, and Entry:
At the rehearsal on Thursday morning (9:30), you will be given Parking/Entry Passes for graduation. Your family must bring these passes on Friday. Ideally, we would appreciate it if your family could come in one vehicle as we want to park all families in the football field lot and space is limited. However, you will be given a second parking pass to allow for any special circumstances. Your parking pass will be color coded and have a letter on it. This will determine where your family will park. Attendants in the parking lot will direct cars to the proper parking section on Friday morning. Guests will wait in their cars in the parking lot until they are directed to enter the tent. NOTE: Your guests will be in the parking lot for MOST of the graduation ceremony, which could last quite a while. They should plan appropriately with cold drinks, etc. as it will be quite hot on Friday. They may also want to bring lawn chairs if they'd like to sit outside their vehicles while they wait (socially distanced, of course!).
One of the Parking Passes will also be the Entrance Pass for your guests. All of your guests will have to enter the graduation tent together using one Entry Pass. You must write the names and phone numbers of your guests on the back of the Entrance Pass. EACH GRADUATE BE ALLOWED NO MORE THAN FIVE GUESTS. Ideally, it would be best if you have four or less guests, but if absolutely necessary, you can bring up to five. We must abide by the NYS Executive Orders and are doing everything we can to allow all graduates to be present for the entire ceremony and allow as much access as possible for families. In order to stay within the guidelines, we must limit the number of guests. Also, seats CANNOT BE TRADED. Each family MUST sit at their own table and there will only be five seats at each table.
The letter on the Parking/Entry Pass will determine when your guests enter the tent. Obviously, your guests will be in the tent during the time that your row is called to cross the stage and graduate. There will be eight different groups of families that will enter the tent. Each group will be assigned a letter from A to H (the same letter used for parking). Only one group will be allowed in the tent at a time. Your guests will wait in the parking lot until parking lot attendants direct them to enter the tent. There will be a number on the Entrance Pass that determines which table your guests will sit at. After each row of twelve students cross the stage, their guests will leave the tent to return to their cars. The tables and chairs will be sanitized, and a new group of twelve families will be brought into the tent.
Guests must have their temperature checked and be fever free in order to enter the tent. FACE MASKS MUST BE WORN IN THE TENT.
The Processional:
1. Students will be lined up in proper order in front of the school building.
2. All graduates will process from the front of school into the tent to be seated for the ceremony. The procession will “snake” its way through the football field parking lot where all families will be parked so that your family can see the processional.
Professional Photos:
1. A photographer will be on site to take a picture of each graduate as they receive their diploma.
2. A photo will also be taken of each graduate in front of a professional backdrop.
Streaming of Ceremony:
1. The ceremony will be livestreamed to those not in attendance in the tent. Details of how to access the livestream will be provided on the district social media.
2. We will likely also be able to provide an FM broadcast of the audio on of the graduation to those in the parking lot.
3. We will also be making a video recording of the ceremony.
Recessional:
1. At the conclusion of the ceremony, students will leave the ceremony reversing the path of the processional, through the parking lot, and back to the front of school.
2. There will be stations for gown return and diploma pick-up.
3. Buildings and Grounds workers will be on hand with scissors to remove your graduation banner from the front fence so that you can take it home with you.
We are trying to make this ceremony as close to traditional as possible given the circumstances. We hope you and your guests have a special and memorable day on Friday!
Mrs. Bishop and Mr. Jacques