Class of 2020 graduation plan adheres to COVID-19 rules

POMEROY–Plans for the 2020 Senior Graduation ceremony will commence at the Garfield County Fairgrounds June 13 at 2:30 p.m. High School Principal Amy Miller, senior parents Laura Dixon and Kim Wolf, and High School Senior Advisor Toddette McGreevy, mapped out the event giving attention to the guidelines set forth in Phase 3.

To meet Governor Inlsee’s Safe Start requirements, the event can have a gathering of up to 50 people with social distancing of six feet. To stay within those parameters, graduates, district employees; Superintendent Rachel Gwinn, High School Principal Amy Miller, Senior Class Advisor Toddette McGreevy, and Fred Knebel) will occupy the immediate area. Family members, limited to 10 per graduate, will remain in their cars during the ceremony. All attendees are expected to follow social distancing guidelines.

The Senior Luncheon will take place at the fairgrounds on Friday, June 12 at 12 p.m. Decorating the staging area will follow at 1-3 p.m., then graduation practice at 3 p.m.

The Senior Slide Show will take place at the high school auditorium/cafeteria at two separate screenings; once at 5:30 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. Each showing will house a group of parents and graduates of no more than 50 people. Only the seniors will be seated at the elevated seating area.

Seniors, supervised by McGreevy, will meet at the high school for the traditional final “Hall Walk” on Saturday, June 13 at 12:45 p.m., and have an opportunity to take pictures. She will then lead them in their cars to the football field at about 1:20 p.m. They will be wearing their caps and gowns, and will be allowed to step outside of their cars to wave at passersby; community members and parents may not stop, they must remain in their cars as they drive by honking in congratulations.

The parents will then lead a “parade” of senior cars to the fairgrounds at 1:50 p.m., where the seniors will park at the Agriculture Museum building, and the parents will park at a designated parking spot to watch the ceremony.

Graduating seniors will proceed along the sidewalk toward a prepared seating area at 2:30 p.m. The ceremony will proceed as usual with a welcome, speeches, presentation of scholarships and administration speeches. McGreevy will conduct the “roll call” of graduates who will come forward to receive their diploma covers, take a picture, then move to another staging area to take pictures with family members.

After the graduation ceremony, McGreevy, Knebel, Miller, Gwinn, a school board member, and Teresa Bingman, photographer, will be at the high school waiting for the return of the graduates who will parade back to the school. Community members will have the opportunity to watch the parade from their yards as the graduates pass by. From the northeast entrance at the school, seniors will enter one by one, walk through the senior hall, stopping for one more picture each. One of the administrators will meet the graduates in the gym to exchange diplomas and turn their tassels. Bingman will be on hand to take pictures of this tradition. The immediate family will be allowed to be present in the gym at this time, and will also be allowed to take their own pictures. Family groups will be limited to 10 members. Students will then be picked up by their drivers at the west gym doors.

A “safe and sober” party is planned for the graduates in Coeur d’Alene, as long as permitted under current COVID-19 guidelines. If Garfield County has not been granted a Phase 3 variance by June 13, 2020, the plan will have to be modified, possibly eliminating the ceremony at the fairgrounds. Per Gwinn, “details and additional information for community participation will be released as we near the date.”