By Gerri Miller
Staff Writer
Although most area high schools have still not announced how they will handle graduation ceremonies, Prattville High School (PHS) and Marbury High School (MHS) have announced plans for the ceremonies for 2020’s Senior Classes.
The ceremonies are live but limited in scope. What or rather who will be missing? The graduates’ classmates and the crowds of people usually attending graduations due to the need for social distancing.
PHS Seniors have been assigned dates and times from May 11-14th based on their homeroom teachers. They are to arrive at the school in their cap and gowns accompanied by no more than six family members and two vehicles. Graduates will be photographed, and a videographer will film them walking across the stage.
Before entering the gym, the temperatures of all family members will be checked by nurses. Faculty will be in place to help each family move through the graduation process. As each graduate leaves the gym, he or she will receive their diploma, report card and previously purchased senior photos that have not been picked up.
Complete instructions can be found on the school’s website at https://www.gophslions.com/.
MHS Seniors will follow a similar plan on Monday, May 18th. Times will be arranged in one-hour increments and students will be grouped alphabetically. Times will allow for no more than 20 students to cycle through each hour.
After temperatures have been taken, students will walk down the hallway by the weight room and will be able to take pictures along the front hallway. Large X’s will be distributed all along the hallway to ensure that groups are complying with social distance guidelines. X’s will be 30 feet apart. Families will move up to the next “X” as the line moves through school.
Once students enter the cafeteria, their names will be called, and they will walk across the stage and receive their diploma. Family members will be allowed to stand to the side to watch the student receive his/her diploma. After receiving their diploma, and taking additional pictures, students and families will exit from the building and report to their cars.
Graduates will be provided a DVD of the ceremony. The ceremony is scheduled to air on May 21st at 6:30 P.M. There will be a link on the school’s website that will be utilized to view the ceremony at https://www.marburyhighschool.org/.
In Elmore County, Holtville High School Principal Kyle Futral took to Facebook to update the school’s seniors on graduation plans. He said the set day for graduation is May 21 and the staff is working on options, but it will depend on Gov. Kay Ivey’s orders on May 15 what direction the school will take.
“We want to make the evening as special as possible, but we must also balance safety and obey the laws that are in place,” he said.
At Stanhope Elmore High School in Millbrook, Principal Fuller said the staff is in the process of planning a graduation, but nothing has been finalized. “No other information is available at this moment except students must finish their coursework in Edgenuity no later than May 13 at 8 a.m.,” he said on Facebook.
Wetumpka High School’s graduation is scheduled for May 19th. More details will be released later, and the school will keep everyone informed through its Facebook page.
