To the Class of 2020: Hope, Plan, and Celebrate!
Dear Class of 2020,
You mean so much to us! Rest assured, much planning is currently taking place as we formulate plans to celebrate your senior year and all of your accomplishments.
One of the proudest traditions that we have is our High School Graduation Ceremony. And, I, for one, haven’t given up hope for a “live” graduation on the football field, a beautiful ceremony like the ones held in the past. Of course, hope is not a plan.
As you already know, so many barriers presently exist to hosting an outdoor gathering in our “new normal.” To complicate matters further, the health and safety guidelines that we must follow to keep everyone safe continue to change, and it is difficult to predict what the next few months will bring. Yet, we are planning for a “live” ceremony, with some other celebrations on deck as well.
After thoughtful discussions with students and community members, we have developed plans and believe that the best way to celebrate your accomplishments is with a traditional graduation ceremony on the football field. The District will make every effort to have a “live” commencement; however, we may facilitate the program differently than in the past as we must remain compliant with current health and safety guidelines.
Please remember, our plans are contingent on federal, state, and local mandates, which may be in place at the time of graduation. And while we can’t control the uncontrollable, we will move forward with the very best intentions.
As for the plan, it includes two potential options for an adapted “live” traditional ceremony.
The Plan:
It is still our intention to host a graduation ceremony on the football field on Saturday, June 27, at 10:00 am, with a rain date of Sunday, June 28 at 1 pm. Keep these dates on your calendars. And remember, while this date for the ceremony remains the ideal choice, it will likely involve physical distancing requirements and need to adhere to federal, state, and local guidelines. And we may adapt the approach to the ceremony further as the date draws closer.
The Backup Plan:
If the June 27 date is not possible, we are scheduling Friday, July 31st for graduation at 10 am with a rain date of Saturday, August 1 at 10 am. This option allows the District an additional five weeks to assess health and safety conditions with the hope of holding a ceremony on the football field under potentially relaxed regulations. Again, it may involve physical distancing requirements and need to adhere to federal, state, and local guidelines.
How else are we honoring the class of 2020?
We will keep some of our plans “close to the vest,” as many supportive faculty, staff, and community members continue to show such generosity and creativity, but allow me to share a few of the planned events with you now.
- Virtual Celebration at the Warwick Drive-In on June 25 at 9:00 pm. This program is currently in production
- Online yearbook signing
- Awards Night – May 27 (Prerecorded)
- Post graduation photographs and college acceptances on District social media
- Friday Night Lights – 8:20 pm every Friday until graduation
- Lawn signs for all seniors with teacher attendance at distribution points
- Warwick senior banners with the photo of each graduate will be on display soon
- Storefront decorating around town to honor seniors – Two weeks before graduation
- Virtual Science Symposium – June 1
- Virtual Senior Project Presentations
- Virtual Chair Auction
And more plans are “in the works.”
Keep checking your emails, our social media posts, and stay positive! These are challenging times for our community. Let’s keep our social media posts positive and supportive of one another. We will continue to come together as a caring community.
Your futures are so bright!
Let the festivities begin! And continue to hope, plan, and celebrate.
Go Wildcats!
Sincerely,
David Leach