Graduation Plans in the Works at Napoleon

Spencer Johnson of Napoleon High School smiles to the crowd during the senior parade on Sunday. Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV News.

By Jeff Steers
JTV News

Plans for a traditional graduation ceremony for Napoleon High School are up in the air due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions.

But members of the administration have come up with plan B in order to try to make for a “normal graduation” for the class of 2020.

The school has scheduled a scaled down graduation for Sunday, June 14, with smaller ceremonies in the cafeteria.

On Sunday, NCS sponsored a senior parade for the class of 2020. Hundreds lined the short parade route that took the seniors from Napoleon Elementary School, to middle school, and finally past the high school.

The school district recently announced individual graduation segments to honor the seniors.

“Our next-best option is to have individual segments to honor our seniors and turn those into a virtual ceremony/slide presentation similar to what other schools have already done,” administrators posted on the school’s Facebook page. “The virtual/cafeteria event does not necessarily have to be the only commencement related event.

“We felt we should put something in place now in case the pandemic and restrictions worsen.”

The date for the individual segments is Sunday, June 14. Graduates and up to four family members/guests can join the seniors as they walk across the high school cafeteria stage and receive diplomas.

Seniors and family members can sign up for the event using the website www.SignUpGenius.com.

A subsequent Facebook page post said the district is looking at alternative dates and times for an in-person traditional commencement.

“We want to continue to work with families in honoring our seniors,” the Facebook post noted.

Administrators have been working with a committee of high school seniors and senior parents on the issue, according to the school’s Facebook page.