Published in the June 4, 2020 edition.
The following information has been released by Superintendent of Wakefield Public Schools Doug Lyons and Assistant Superintendent of Schools Kara Mauro.
WAKEFIELD — We would like to first thank the Senior Events Working Group, the Wakefield Memorial High School Administration, and all of the other parents and students who provided information and feedback on the graduation ceremony plans. As you are all aware, the situation we are in right now is truly unprecedented and has caused unwelcomed disruptions to our normal way of doing business. The graduation ceremony is no exception. Celebrating our graduating class of students is something we take very seriously. We have worked to create a plan that is safe, equitable and accessible.
While the situation we are in is heartbreaking in many ways, one thing remains the same. Our intention is to offer the most memorable event possible, given the severe limitations of this pandemic. Health and safety are our first priority.
After thorough consideration to have an event later in the summer, we have reviewed feedback, met with the Board of Health, and have reconvened the planning group to make a final decision for our WMHS Class of 2020 graduation. We will move forward with a small group graduation on June 13 and 14. The details of this updated plan have been adjusted slightly to reflect recent feedback.
The primary reason for the decision to move forward with the June plan is to ensure that we have a widely attended and accessible ceremony for all. While it sounds appealing to say that we will hold off until later in the summer with the hopes of having a larger, more traditional ceremony, the reality is, based on the information and guidance we have received, the June event is the best option. By putting the decision off to August, we would be risking the opportunity to have any ceremony at all, as the events and guidance related to this pandemic change by the day.
There is nothing about this time or our context that is easy; this decision falls into that category as well. We are hopeful that you are understanding of the challenges we face when making decisions in the best interest and safety of the whole community. The administrative team is deeply committed to making graduation the best it can be for our graduates. The Class of 2020 will always be special to us and their resiliency during this challenging time will never be forgotten. Please support us in celebrating our seniors and all of their amazing accomplishments.
