Roslyn High School’s class of 2020 will have a socially distant, but still in-person graduation, the school’s principal, Scott Andrews, said in a message to parents last week.
“In keeping with the Governor’s guidelines, we will be holding eight small live graduation ceremonies on our Roslyn High School football field,” Andrews wrote.
The letter, co-signed by Assistant Principals Carol Murphy and Jay Pilnick, and the dean of students, Christopher Roth, said that the eight live graduations, which will follow strict social distancing guidelines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will take place on June 22, 23, 24, and 25, with two graduations taking place each morning.
“Each [member of the Class of 2020], along with two parents/guardians will march up the Roslyn Memorial walkway to pomp and circumstance,” Andrews wrote. “Each graduate will have her/his name announced, gather her/his diploma case, and have her/his photograph taken, all while their classmates cheer them on. Following the photograph each graduate and two parents/guardians will march back to their car to pomp and circumstance.”
The district is reserving further details for the families of graduates, Barry Edelson, the director of community relations, said.
“These are private ceremonies and we are not allowing attendance beyond the graduates and their immediate families,” he said in an email.
Edelson added that only a few staff members would be present, and that he himself wouldn’t be there. Further celebrations are to come, he says, including “several celebratory ‘parades,’ a virtual yearbook signing, and a virtual graduation ceremony.”
“We are happy for the community to know that we are celebrating our graduating seniors in a variety of ways,” Edelson said. “At the same time, we need to keep everyone safe.”
