Graduation plans: COVID precautions will be part of commencement

While seating will be limited and spaced out due to precautions to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, St. Mary Parish public high school seniors will get to cap their careers with graduation ceremonies at the high school football stadiums of their respective schools later this month.
The occupancy, in compliance with the state mandate, will be at 25% of a stadium’s capacity, St. Mary Parish Schools Superintendent Teresa Bagwell said Thursday. Seating is different at each stadium, meaning the number of tickets distributed for each graduating senior’s family will differ, Bagwell said.
Families will be asked to sit together and remain six feet apart from others,” Bagwell said. “School staff and law enforcement will help in maintaining social distancing and seating placement.”
There will be multiple entry and exit points to the stadiums, Bagwell said, to avoid too many people gathering in one area at a time.
Bagwell said the school system’s goal was to have graduation as soon as safely possible due to “the inevitable weather issues inherent in south Louisiana” and to have it before seniors leave for college or other ventures.
“High schools have been vetting options for graduation since we realized that schools would not go back into session and were prepared to put various alternatives into place once reopening guidance was communicated,” Bagwell said. “We still have private graduation ceremonies that will be conducted as a couple of our seniors have orders to leave for military training prior to the revised ceremony dates.”
In the Tri-City area, Berwick High will lead off the graduations with a 7 p.m. ceremony on May 28, while Morgan City will hold its ceremony at 6:30 p.m. on May 29. Patterson will conclude the area’s public school ceremonies with a 10 a.m. ceremony on May 30.
While temperatures will not be taken for those attending ceremonies, Bagwell asked those in a high-risk category or small children to refrain from attending.
Graduation ceremonies will be live-streamed to offer families the ability to attend in a virtual format from the safety of their home,” she said.
She encourages those attending to wear masks, something advised in public by the Louisiana Department of Health.
High schools are working creatively to offer the senior class a fitting tribute to their academic success and accomplishments after 12 years of schooling,” Bagwell said. “We are very grateful to all those who have partnered with their local high school to spotlight the Class of 2020 through billboard images, yard signage, parades, etc.
“We ask that attendees be respectful of the public by wearing masks and maintaining a six feet distance in order to offer our graduates a graduation ceremony that is free of distractions and that completely focuses on the Class of 2020,” Bagwell added.
If inclement weather arises, Bagwell said changes will be made to ceremony times or locations.
At Central Catholic High School in Morgan City, graduation is set for June 26 at 6:30 p.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Church.
Plan A is to have as close to a normal graduation ceremony as possible,” Central Catholic Principal Peter Boudreaux said.
While he said they hope not to have to place limits on the number of attendees, the school is prepared if they have to.
Limits for the number of guests, if any, will be decided as we get closer to graduation and will depend on any restrictions from the governor,” Boudreaux said.
Gov. John Bel Edwards is set to give an update on any possible changes on June 1.
Seating arrangements also will depend on any restrictions that may be in place via government orders.
Boudreaux said he doesn’t foresee temperatures having to be taken for attendees or the wearing of masks unless they are determined necessary by government orders.