Published in the May 8, 2020 edition.
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield Memorial High School Senior Prom has been rescheduled for August 3 at the Danversport Yacht Club, but like every school district in the state, Wakefield is still working out how to put together a high school graduation ceremony and other milestone events in light of the COVID-19 virus and the resulting shutdown.
According to Wakefield High School Principal Amy McLeod, the traditional graduation ceremony, scheduled for June 6, will not take place in the Field House as planned due to the school closure.
The school administration is actively planning, with input from the Senior Events Working Group, a feasible scenario for how a graduation ceremony might be held.
“We will continue to discuss this event with the Working Group and local health officials,” McLeod said, “and use updated guidelines from the town and state to guide us as we create and communicate out a more specific plan as soon as possible.”
School Superintendent Douglas Lyons said that school officials are making every possible effort to to provide seniors with a face-to-face, in-person graduation, but safety is the foremost consideration.
Caps and gowns are being ordered and seniors will receive their caps, gowns, and yearbooks. A protocol for distribution, depending on graduation plans, is still being determined. This year, seniors will be able to keep their caps, tassels and gowns.
“It is our intention to have events take place during our originally planned Senior Week, from June 1 to June 5,” McLeod said. Currently, the senior class officers are working with their class (supported by their advisors and administration) to create some events for this week. These include plans for portraits of graduates for every graduating senior, a week of virtual events, culminating in a Senior Car Parade and farewell messages from teachers and staff.
The last day of classes for seniors is still scheduled to be Monday, June 1. There will be no final exams for any students this term.
School-based departmental and community awards for seniors are currently being selected, McLeod said. The Guidance Department is organizing a plan to publish these awards in multiple forms — on the school’s website, in the local newspaper, and potentially in an Awards Booklet to distribute to all seniors and their families.
WMHS Administration is working with the Facilities Director and District leadership to decide on the best process to allow students and faculty to pick up items they left in the building before the school closure. Currently, the school remains closed.
With the Senior Prom rescheduled to Aug. 3, McLeod said that the Senior Night Committee is determining the feasibility of options for a post-prom event, including one at Dave and Busters similar to the last several years, or other options. Again, both events will be structured based on unfolding guidance from state and local officials.
Lyons stressed that addressing end-of-year milestone events is not limited to graduating seniors. He noted that efforts are being made to replace traditional “moving on” ceremonies for elementary students heading to the middle school and middle schoolers moving on to the high school.
“We are trying to keep all options open as time progresses,” Lyons said, noting that evolving circumstances with dictate how these milestone events can happen safely.
