Yahoo Finance Wake high schools plan in-person graduations they hope seniors ‘will always remember’
Wake County high schools will offer something closer to a normal graduation ceremony this year for seniors, while still following North Carolina health rules about masking and social distancing.
Wake high schools are planning to hold in-person graduation ceremonies at their football stadiums and gyms this spring. High schools will typically hold multiple in-person ceremonies to maintain social distancing while also offering opportunities for seniors who don’t feel it’s safe to be at a large event.
This year’s events will be larger than last year’s graduation ceremonies, where more restrictive state rules led to drive-through ceremonies or timed individual walk-throughs in the auditorium. Graduation will come for seniors after more than a year of their education being disrupted by the pandemic.
“Students have persevered,” Dhedra Lassiter, principal of Rolesville High School, said at a news conference Wednesday. “They’ve shown a great deal of resilience. They’ve been able to adapt.
“It’s a time that we all need to be able to celebrate them and make this just truly a celebration that they will always remember.”
Before the pandemic, most Wake high schools held a single graduation ceremony at a large venue like the Raleigh Convention Center. Wake says that’s not possible due to the state’s reduced venue capacity limits during the pandemic.
But the capacity limits are higher than last year, allowing for larger group events for the Class of 2021. Capacity limits could be eased further, with Gov. Roy Cooper announcing Wednesday he expects to lift most state COVID restrictions by June 1.
Brian Pittman, Wake’s senior director of high school programs, said they’ll monitor whether changes in restrictions will allow them to increase attendance even more at graduations.
Multiple ceremonies
Rolesville High will use a schedule similar to other Wake high schools.
There will be three in-person ceremonies for its 525 seniors at the football stadium on June 11. Students who don’t feel comfortable being in a large group can come in one at a time with their family on June 12.
“Some people very much are looking forward to the larger ceremonies and the feel of a typical graduation,” Lassiter said. “Others still need to have the confidence that’s in a smaller ceremony to protect one another.”
Cori Barthelmess, a senior at Rolesville High, helped out with last year’s drive-through graduation ceremony. Barthlemess said she’s thrilled they’re doing more this year for seniors.
“To find out that we’ll have an in-person football stadium graduation was actually awesome,” Bartelmess said in an interview. “I’m so excited. I wanted it as a freshman, so I’m very happy that we’re having an in-person graduation on the football field too.”
Most schools are holding outdoor ceremonies, so they’ll have to draw up an inclement weather plan. Pittman said schools won’t reduce the number of tickets for seniors if they have to move events indoors.
Health and safety requirements
The school system is requiring high schools to follow some health and safety guidelines, including:
▪ Schools must implement health screenings and procedures related to visitors on campus for all indoor events.
▪ Tickets will include an attestation of self screening of guests for outdoor events.
▪ Schools will maintain a list of attendees for each graduation to support contact tracing if necessary.
▪ All guests / visitors will be required to wear a mask at all times.
▪ Students must be seated at least 6 feet apart to observe social distancing.
One step Wake is not requiring is having students and staff pass a rapid COVID test before the ceremony. The state Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging schools to use the free test kits as a way to screen people before large events like graduations.
Graduation info
High schools were supposed to tell parents and students about graduation plans by April 9. Information will also be posted online at https://www.wcpss.net/graduation.
