Many schools across the country are holding online graduation ceremonies. But one local district asked families what they wanted to do and the consensus was in-person or not at all.
As a result, the Buford High School class of 2020 won’t be listening to “Pomp and Circumstance” via computer.
“We did a survey of parents and 90% said they wanted the traditional ceremony,” said Kerri Leland, Buford City Schools spokeswoman. “It’s sometimes nice to have a smaller school district so we can do this type of thing.”
The original ceremony date of May 21 was too soon to put safety practices in place. The event is now planned for 7 p.m. Friday, July 24 at Buford Arena.
The school has a little more than 300 seniors, according to the Georgia Department of Education. That make it a lot easier to make plans for an event that includes social distancing and adherence to public health concerns, the district said.
Currently, shelter-in place mandates in Georgia have been lifted for all but the medically fragile. The public health state of emergency is expected to expire on June 12. The graduation plans are subject to change if new guidance from Gov. Brian Kemp becomes available, the school district said.
Gwinnett County is one of the state’s hot spots for the spread of COVID-19. To date, it has had 2,496 confirmed cases and 96 deaths in a county of just under 1 million people, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
Related story: Gwinnett releases virtual high school graduation schedule
Related story: Buford City Schools announces end-of-school plans
Conversely, Gwinnett County Public Schools, the largest school district in the state with more than 12,000 graduates, has two plans for ceremonies. The school will host virtual graduations beginning May 20. There will be online ceremonies every two hours beginning with Phoenix High and concluding with Lanier High on May 23.
The second plan is for in-person graduations in July if Kemp does not reinstate a state of emergency.
As the time draws closer, BHS will send specific details regarding social-distancing procedures for its traditional ceremony.
“They will be in line with the most current guidance from the Department of Public Health,” said Leland. “By then we’ll know if hand-shaking will be allowed, if graduates and attendees must wear masks, if we need to space out students by six feet and do the same for guests.”
The ceremony is planned for a 5,500 seat arena, but the school may have to limit the number of guests due to social distancing.
“Our seniors moved to the new high school for their last year only to have that time cut short due to COVID-19. The BHS faculty have worked diligently to celebrate our seniors to mitigate their losses and we look forward to providing a ceremony to honor their accomplishments,” said Buford City Schools Superintendent Robert Downs.
Amy Moody, mother of a graduating senior and a BHS alum was overjoyed when she heard the news. Her son, Jonathan Cole Moody, was born and raised in Buford.
“We were praying that they’d have a traditional graduation,” said Amy Moody. “The students have worked so hard and with everything that’s happened recently they need something wonderful.”
Her mother and both sisters are also Buford alumnae.
“As soon as I heard I ordered announcements and we have a banner in the front yard,” she said. “We waited 13 years for this and a virtual ceremony isn’t the same.”
Buford High 2020 graduation
Buford City Schools will hold high school graduation ceremonies 7 p.m. July 24 at Buford Arena. The event is subject to change dependent upon public health guidelines set by the state.
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