GREENSBORO, N.C. — Guilford County Schools announced it will postpone its traditional graduation ceremonies in May and June due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The district also announced 28 high schools will hold “drive-thru” recognitions to honor graduating seniors.
School leaders said the decision was made after hearing from parents and meeting with senior class presidents, high school principals, and district leadership.
The district also said it intends to host in-person ceremonies as soon as it is safe to do so, pending the availability of venues. An in-person graduation still looks to be months away as to comply with Governor Cooper’s phased reopening plan. Guilford County currently has 626 cases of COVID-19 which ranks 4th in the state.
“This pandemic has completely altered what is supposed to be one of the most memorable moments in a student’s life,” said Superintendent Sharon Contreras. “We know this solution isn’t perfect, but our students were clear they did not want virtual graduations. We believe this is the best solution to keep students safe, while still giving everyone a way to immediately celebrate our outstanding seniors.”
Each school will conduct its own drive-thru recognition event to ensure the district is still complying with Governor Roy Cooper’s executive order prohibiting groups larger than 10 to gather.
The district said notifications will be sent to families and schools after dates are confirmed.
Notifications will be sent to families and schools as soon as the dates are confirmed.
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