Drive-in commencement nixed
By Robert Cloud
Waupaca High School’s Class of 2020 will still graduate on Sunday, May 31.
However, the graduating seniors will participate in a virtual ceremony rather than gather in the gym.
In an April 30 online video to seniors and their families, District Administrator Ron Saari said Waupaca could not have any sort of large gathering in May or June.
At an April 14 school board meeting, Saari said the district was committed to a May 31 graduation.
“After school ends, lots of kids are going to take off,” Saari said, noting students begin leaving the area for jobs, the military and college.
He noted the same social distancing rules could still apply if the ceremony was postponed to later in the summer.
Drive-in commencement proposed
Of the 176 responses to a student survey conducted earlier in April, Saari said the results were about 50/50 on whether they preferred a virtual commencement or a drive-in ceremony.
Waupaca High School began planning for a drive-in ceremony.
“Believing that we could ensure the safety of graduates and attendees through tight expectations, such as abiding by the 6-foot social distancing requirements, we believed that a ‘drive-in’ graduation in May followed by something more traditional in August was the answer,” Saari said in the April 30 video.
DHHS prohibits events at schools
“However, late last week we learned that school districts, as per the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) orders, are not to have educational events or activities on school grounds through June 30th,” he said.
Saari noted school administrators spoke with county health officials who said they “do not condone any sort of large gatherings, even with strict expectations.”
He said law enforcement, city and county officials, the district’s insurance carrier and legal counsel all advised against any sort of large public gathering.
“From the number of students and parents who work with our elderly population, to the underlying health concerns that many of us have, the last thing we want for the class of 2020 graduation is for someone to become ill,” Saari said.
Saari said the May 31 virtual ceremony will be followed up with a more traditional ceremony on Aug. 9.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed by then the restrictions will change and we will be allowed to once again hold large social gatherings,” Saari said.
The virtual graduation ceremony will include personalized videos created by each graduate, an online virtual gathering for students and families, prerecorded speeches, personalized slides of each student as they “receive” their diplomas and a #MoveTheTassle video file that can be shared on social media and with friends and family.
In addition to the virtual ceremony, students will receive caps and gowns, yearbooks and yard signs.