By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
SOMERS POINT — Like many around the area and nation, administrators at Jordan Road School have been working to find a way to mark the graduation of their eighth-graders amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gov. Phil Murphy announced May 26 that the state will allow school districts and colleges/universities to hold modified in-person graduation ceremonies beginning July 6.
The guidance includes requirements that ceremonies be held outdoors, adhere to social-distancing protocols and limit the number of people gathered to protect the health of students and families amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement released May 27, the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education said schools should plan for multiple scenarios and select the ceremony type that best fits its needs while adhering to the required level of social distancing restrictions in place at the time of the event.
Schools must certify that their plans comply with requirements for gatherings and social distancing to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE). It also is recommended that institutions keep local officials, including emergency management, law enforcement and health officials, informed of ceremony plans.
The guidance outlines several options for safe commencement ceremonies such as virtual ceremonies and drive-in/drive-through or modified in-person ceremonies, and includes a long list of what can and cannot be done.
“The state of New Jersey and OSHE recommend that institutions of higher education carefully strategize commencement ceremonies that prioritize the health and safety of all attendees, while still acknowledging the important accomplishments of students obtaining their degree or credential during this challenging time,” the guidance document stated.
After weighing all of the options, Jordan Road School Principal Carleena Supp and Superintendent Michelle CarneyRay-Yoder decided it was too difficult to try to hold a group graduation in any format and instead bring the graduation to the students.
A letter from Supp dated June 2 stated the following:
“In our current situation of continued uncertainty and conflicting guidance from the state of New Jersey, it is difficult making decisions in the best interest of all of our students, staff and their families and friends. This is not anything for which any of us could have ever prepared, but it is amazing how we continue to remain resilient, strong and united as a community. The duration of this pandemic has far extended our expectations and due to that, we have had to alter or create new daily routines, events and happenings to keep with the ever-changing guidelines; our main focus always being the health, safety and well-being of our entire school community.
One of these events that is quickly approaching is 8th grade commencement. The governor recently released guidance that allows “in-person ceremonies” beginning on or after July 6, 2020. However, the order still in place does not allow for more than 25 people to be present at one time. This conflicts with our ability to safely and legally provide any type of ceremony that would include students, families and staff in one location. For this reason, we are developing and planning a different experience for our 8th-grade graduates.
During the last three days of school, June 15th, 16th and 17th, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 12 p.m., staff will be visiting the homes of our graduates to deliver diplomas. In addition, we will also bring the individual signs that have been proudly displayed on our campus, honoring our 8th-grade students. We invite all students to dress in their caps and gowns for this visit and come out to see our staff at a social distance. Students will be presented with their diplomas in a safe manner and will take a graduation picture by their sign. Our staff is extremely excited to offer this in-person experience to each of our graduates individually.
All pictures will be used to create a virtual 8th-grade commencement ceremony video that will be aired on Friday, June 19th at 6 p.m. This will give all students and families an opportunity to celebrate all the students of the Jordan Road School Class of 2020 together, as well as provide a memory they can revisit and review time after time. More specific details will be provided to students in their inline classrooms as the dates approach. We look forward to being a part of this special experience for the Jordan Road School Class of 2020.”
OCEAN CITY INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
As of Wednesday, June 3, officials with the Ocean City Intermediate School had not made a decision.
Ocean City Intermediate School Principal Michael Mattina stated in an email to JASM Consulting, the school district’s public relations firm, provided to the Sentinel that plans are still in the works.
“We are still gathering and processing information, such as DOE guidelines, in order to make an informed and equitable decision that is in the best interest of the students and community. As always, student safety is our number one priority. At the moment, we are still set to have our virtual promotion ceremony as planned. We are also working on the logistics of a pre-ceremony drive-through parade for the students.
“In the event that our decision is to stay the course with the virtual ceremony, we will be planning a fun farewell event that would allow students some closure with their time at OCIS. Students will get to see their teachers again, sign yearbooks and be together as a group one last time before moving on to high school. The event would be held later in the summer or early fall as long as, and according to what, guidelines allow.
“The final decision will be out shortly.”
LOWER CAPE MAY REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Meanwhile, Lower Cape May Regional High School will be holding a drive-through ceremony. Superintendent Joseph Castellucci said the ceremony would be held at 4:30 p.m. Monday, June 15, outside the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum’s hangar at the Cape May County Airport.
“It will be a ‘drive-in’-style ceremony which will begin at the high school with vehicles lining up to parade to the airport with police and fire escort. The ceremony will also be streamed live on the internet,” Castellucci wrote in an email.
