After
much planning and discussion with local and state agencies and leaders, we are
happy to announce that Greenville High School will conduct a virtual graduation
ceremony with an in person component where you will walk across the stage and
get your diploma cover. We have included a description of the 146th
Commencement Ceremony below. First, I want to make you aware of some very
important dates.
5/11
This will be the last day that teachers will assign seniors new
assignments. Continue to work on your assignments as many of you need a
good grade to earn credit for graduation.
5/11
- 5/15 Students are invited (not required) to come to GHS in their caps and
gowns to walk across the stage (gym). A schedule will follow with
guidelines for social distancing. This event will be recorded and then
edited into a virtual graduation ceremony. Details to follow.
5/26
Teachers must turn in grades for seniors.
5/28-5/29
Seniors will drop off items (iPads, books, sports equipment, fees) in order to
pick up their diplomas. All graduation requirements must be completed to
pick up your diplomas.
5/30
7pm The virtual graduation will be shown through various media (Channel 5,
youtube.com, facebook live).
The
following outline represents a draft of the virtual graduation envisioned for
the class of 2020.
This commencement ceremony will be very special. I
understand that given our current constraints that we have all lost a great
deal of normalcy in our lives. The plan for this ceremony will be to
conduct a program that closely resembles traditional events while incorporating
new ways to honor our students and their accomplishments.
Our end goal is to present a pre-recorded video for students,
parents, staff, and community members to watch on May 30th, 2020 at
7pm. This video would be streamed through various sources such as
channel 5, youtube, and facebook live.
We also need to emphasize that part of the commencement ceremony
would involve having students walk across the stage (in person and with caps
and gowns) in the gym to receive their diploma cover. The plan to
get this done safely and within the guidelines of social distancing is to
schedule times for students to come to GHS. This would be done over
a few days. The schedule for students to walk across the stage will
be as follows:
5/11 Monday 6-8pm Last Names beginning with A-D
5/12 Tuesday 6-8pm Last Names
beginning with E-J
5/13 Wednesday 6-8pm Last
Names beginning with K-Q
5/14 Thursday 6-8pm Last Names
beginning with R-Z
5/15 Friday 6-8pm Valedictorians, Class Officers, Exchange
Students, students who were not able to make their scheduled time.
When
students come to pick up their diploma cover, they would be able to invite
their immediate family. Students would enter through the arch at the
big green by the cafeteria and then door 2 (at the main gym
entrance). We would have a queue line with correct spacing set up at
this location and through the hallway. When students enter the
door, they will be instructed to make an immediate right turn down the hall
toward the music classrooms. This hall would be decorated and have
signs from the staff and possibly from community businesses
etc. Pomp and Circumstance will be playing as students walk toward
the gym doors near the music classrooms.
Students
and their families would enter the gym near the music classroom (visitor
bleacher side by pop machines). The gym would be decorated in school
colors, with balloons and a floor covering in the queue line. At the
north end of the gym the stage would be decorated as it would be
traditionally. (flowers, flags, podium, tables with cloths for the
diploma covers) Students names would be called and they would walk across the
stage to pick up their cover. This part of the event would be
recorded for the virtual ceremony. At the end of the stage, students
would get their picture taken with their diploma covers. They would
receive their carnation at that point as well.
Once students were finished with their picture and flower they would exit to the athletic office hallway. It is my hope to have the athletic teams decorate this hallway with picture boards of their teams and seniors. We would also play some music in this hallway as well. Students and their families would continue to walk down the athletic hallway making a right turn toward the main office (this would help avoid people meeting at the café doors).
In
the main office hallway, I would like to decorate with our fine arts
programs. This would include picture boards of our programs and
highlight any senior artwork that may have been displayed at Waves of
Pride. I would also include the recessional music as part of this
hallway. Students and their families would exit through the main
doors at GHS. This would conclude this portion of the
event.
The agenda of the video would be as close to a traditional
Commencement Ceremony as we can make it. The following represents
the order of the video.
- We would start with Pomp
and Circumstance with some footage of students in the queue line at GHS
without their diplomas
- I would like to get some
of our senior NJROTC cadets to hold colors at the front of the stage.
- I would like to have one
of our seniors sing the national anthem on stage.
- Invocation from a local
pastor. On the stage at the podium.
- Mr. Fries’
welcome. On stage at the podium.
- Remarks from Mr. Libert
BOE president
- Remarks about the class of
2020 Mr. Hughes
- Valedictorian Speeches
with introductions by Mr. Hughes
- We would include a song
from Mrs. Whirledge’s seniors
- Certification of the class
of 2020
- Presentation of the
diplomas
- Benediction
- Moving of the tassels by
Class President
- Alma Mater (either
orchestra or sang by choir) Tossing of the caps
- Introduction of the
146th class of Greenville Senior High School
- End with a montage of
students pictures with their diplomas while playing recessional music
I hope that this letter finds you and your family healthy. The staff at GHS misses you and can't wait to see you.
Stan Hughes
937-548-4188 ext. 1010
normal;background:white;vertical-align:baseline'>Principal Greenville High
School