Many milestones that mark students’ passage through high school have been canceled this year. Proms, spring parties, plays and field trips have been shelved, and classes held online indefinitely. School districts, as well as the entire nation, are facing unprecedented times. Schools, however, are faced with the unique challenge of continuing the education and helping to safeguard the well-being of our children.
As school districts manage the daily nearly insurmountable tasks that fall on the teachers, the administrators, and the students themselves, the focus has turned to closing out the year for seniors. School officials are grappling with what graduation will look like under the current social-distancing restrictions in place. The Governor of the State of New York, Andrew Cuomo, in conjunction with the New York State Education Department, is expected to opine on this issue in the coming weeks. There are several options for school districts to consider how to mark the culmination of high school for seniors.
Socially Distanced Graduation
On April 18, 2020, nearly 1,000 graduating cadets graduated from the United States Air Force academy while carefully observing social-distancing restrictions. Each cadet was seated approximately eight (8) feet apart from other cadets during the event, and no spectators were present. Their friends and family had the opportunity to watch, via live-stream, and nearly 16,000 people tuned in to mark the occasion.
This could be a middle ground for students and their families; however, all public gatherings continue to be “on pause” in New York state. The restrictions would have to be lifted or modified before any socially distanced ceremony could occur. While graduation still is two months away, it is likely that the restrictions on large public gatherings may still be in place. Additionally, Executive Order 202.17 presently requires anyone over the age of 2 to wear a face mask in public when he/she cannot observe social-distancing protocols. School districts should consider the potential logistics of verifying that every person is wearing a mask while attending any in-person ceremony while that requirement is still in place.
School districts should also be mindful of the difficulty in preventing high school students from breaking social-distancing rules while celebrating. Students who have been separated for weeks and even months will likely have difficulty refraining from hugging their friends and teachers. School districts should consider the number of seniors, as well as their present capacity for seating students apart, when considering whether this option could work if the prohibition on large public gatherings is lifted. Conducting graduation in cars is also a possibility with some options such as large parking lots or drive-in movie theaters being considered.
Overall, each school district will be faced with a unique choice for its students. Regionally, schools will have vastly different approaches due to the number of students and availability of space, and most importantly, the containment of COVID-19 in each of those distinct areas. School districts will likely have to consider social distancing for all events social-distanced for the foreseeable future, even when we begin to defeat COVID-19 and flatten the curve, and as such, should consider how to approach these occasions. Graduation may be the first major occasion that school districts have to put such safety restrictions in place.
Virtual Graduation
On April 17, 2020, high school students across the country were dancing the night away in their living rooms thanks to the virtual prom held by John Krasinski, and several other celebrities. School districts could emulate such an event, and timely mark graduation as it would normally do by coordinating the speeches and “reading of names” virtually. Colleges are similarly utilizing the web to mark the occasion. School districts would have to consider the availability of technology; however, if they are successfully conducting online classes, technology may not be an issue.
Postponed Graduation
Many colleges are considering delaying commencement ceremonies to the fall when it is anticipated (and hoped) that relative normalcy will return. Depending on the date the graduation is held for high school students, however, this may present difficulties for graduating seniors who may be freshmen themselves attending college in a variety of cities across the country. A customary break from school activities, such as Thanksgiving break, may be a possible date for districts to hold postponed graduations.
The Future
Holding graduation in the customary manner is increasingly unlikely to be a viable option. While school districts are faced with the unenviable position of holding a modified celebratory event, they will undoubtedly strive to mark the achievements of the seniors with the recognition and celebration they deserve.
