(WEAKLEY COUNTY) – Weakley County Schools Director Randy Frazier announced today that the graduation ceremonies for the class of 2020 will now occur on the weekend of June 12. Postponing the planned May 15 event came about after consulting with local health officials.
“When they expressed serious concern, we knew we had to make the adjustment,” said Frazier to first principals in an online meeting and later in webcasts to the public and school system.
Principals will be determining the specific dates, times and formats for the ceremonies that will reflect the social distancing guidelines in place at that time, he said. Those plans will be relayed to the graduating seniors in emails and phone calls as well as released to the media once they are firm.
Frazier shared that current guidelines from the state list the need for social distancing in seating and suggest limiting the number of people who can attend. Some schools may utilize multiple ceremonies to allow for adhering to the guidelines.
Frazier noted that a few of seniors have enlisted in the military and may not be able to participate on June 12 and that others may have similar obligations.
“We want to assure those who may have to miss the June 12 ceremony that when they return to the area and we have returned to some normalcy next year, we will celebrate them in a public gathering. Every senior deserves recognition for this significant achievement,” he said.