School Administrators,
I hope this email finds you well and I wanted to start off by thanking you for all the efforts that your school has participated in with encouraging students and families to stay safe and healthy during this uncertain time. A topic that has been on many of your minds is graduation and how to proceed with that in order to safely recognize that important milestone for your senior students.
Yesterday afternoon a document was released by the Nebraska Department of Education which provides guidance for graduation (the graduation guidance was developed with the input of Health Directors from across the State). Below are a few elaborations on the guidance:
1. The Statewide Directed Health Measures stipulate that school extracurricular activities are to cease through 5.31.20. This includes graduation ceremonies. Therefore, no in-person or hybrid in-person graduation components should occur through that date. This includes the bringing together of any small groups and "drive-in/drive-by” approaches. The unintended consequences of these hybrid-type approaches can lead to the mingling of people, as it is human nature to do so even with the best laid plans.
2. In person, traditional graduation ceremonies have been recommended to be delayed until the end of July or the beginning of August, as per statements made by the Governor, Commissioner on Education, and health officials.
3. Virtual ceremonies (pre-recorded speeches, photos and other elements that celebrate the student's achievements) is the only recommended platform at this time in the interim (i.e. for those schools who wish to recognize graduation earlier than the late July/August timeframe). Several schools are pursuing this approach so their student's achievements can be recognized without having to wait given the uncertainty of the situation and no guarantees with regard to timeline extensions. Any element of virtual graduation that involves the in-person delivery of diplomas or photographs (either at student homes or at school) that involves school representatives, outside representatives, students, and/or families from different households to be in the same place at the same time are highly discouraged.
I hope this helps as you think through the options. On a personal note, I want to express that we truly feel for these senior students and their families for all that they have endured with the many changes that did not seem possible just a short time ago. Thank you again for all you do.
