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Class of 2020 Graduation and Senior Events/Activities/Timelines


Posted Date: 05/27/2021

Class of 2020 Graduation and Senior Events/Activities/Timelines

First, CONGRATULATIONS on finishing your secondary educational career successfully at Pampa High School!  We are so very #PampaProud of the Class of 2020 for many reasons, but mostly because of how your leadership and sacrifice have led to a special and unique bond within our school and community during this difficult time. 

 

With that being said, we want to do everything we can to celebrate and honor your accomplishments both as individuals and as a class.  We have been meeting with a committee of administration, teachers, and parents to brainstorm ideas to hold graduation festivities in a safe and orderly fashion while following all executive orders from the state and local authorities.  We also have been examining the results from several student/parent surveys for input and feedback. 

 

Below are the events, activities, and timeline for the Class of 2020 as of May 11, 2020:

 

April 24

  • Set up donation for Light Pole Senior Picture Banners (in collaboration with City of Pampa—THANK YOU Pampa!)

     

  • Banners will be hung and displayed during May and June as soon as they are available. Banners will be removed for seniors to receive theirs at the June 27 Graduation ceremony.

May 4-23

  • Social Media and Print Media campaign to recognize and celebrate the Honor Graduates of the Class of 2020 (Top 10%; Val, Sal, Superintendent Scholars, Associate’s Degree completers, and Eugene Anderson Scholarship Winners)

     

  • All PHS class awards and scholarships will be communicated through the Pampa News and on all Pampa ISD media outlets.

May 7

  • The Pampa News (in partnership with local businesses) purchased Senior Yard Signs for all of the Class of 2020. These are now available for curbside pick-up at the Pampa News.Just give them a call and they will bring it out to your car.Thank you Pampa News!

May 17

  • Vespers at MK Brown Parking Lot at 4:00pm
  • One vehicle per senior (no more than 5 family members from the same household) is allowed (graduate does not count as one of the family members)
  • No one is allowed out of their cars
  • Limited participants will be on the platform leading the Vespers ceremony (participants will be following social distance guidelines)
  • The ceremony will be heard on the radio
  • Vesper programs will be provided (3 per car)
  • This is a student led event and participation is voluntary

May 18, 19, and 20

 

 

 

 

 

This Hybrid plan has been approved by legal counsel and from the Gray County COVID-19 Task Force.

  • Senior Walk Video Opportunities at Harvester Field (details and instructions below):

     

  • The graduate and their immediate family members (no more than 5) will arrive in their vehicle. They will be instructed to park in a designated spot. They will remain in their vehicle until told otherwise. While in their vehicle, they will each be screened for the symptoms of COVID-19, as prescribed in the aforementioned TEA document. No one displaying any of the eleven symptoms of COVID-19 will be allowed to participate. All school employees at this station will be wearing masks and gloves.
  • Once all participants have been screened, the family group will be led to a staging area. All family members will remain in the staging area together and will be at least 25 feet away from others throughout the entire process. A school employee will ensure that the graduate is in their cap and gown and meet district dress code requirements. Graduates will receive any regalia they earned from a school employee who will be wearing a mask and gloves.

 

  • Participants will then move to the third station where graduates will receive any scholarships or awards they have earned, again from a school employee wearing a mask and gloves.

 

  • Finally, participants will move to the stage. A school employee will announce the name of the graduate as they walk the stage and receive their diploma cover from the principal. All diploma covers will be sanitized prior to distribution. The principal will be the only person handling the diploma covers and he will sanitize his hands after touching each diploma cover.

 

  • Once the video and pictures have been taken, the family members will exit Harvester Field out a side gate, separate from where they entered.

 

  • Participation by a student or family member in the ceremony is voluntary and is not required or compelled by the school.

     

  • Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance to the field.

     

  • School employees will be limited to the minimum number needed to logistically support the event.

     

  • A link to the compilation graduation video will be made available to members of the Class of 2020 by June 1.

May 18, 19, and 20

 

 

 

 

 

This Hybrid plan has been approved by legal counsel and from the Gray County COVID-19 Task Force.

  • Senior Walk Video Opportunities at Harvester Field (details and instructions below):

     

  • The graduate and their immediate family members (no more than 5) will arrive in their vehicle. They will be instructed to park in a designated spot. They will remain in their vehicle until told otherwise. While in their vehicle, they will each be screened for the symptoms of COVID-19, as prescribed in the aforementioned TEA document. No one displaying any of the eleven symptoms of COVID-19 will be allowed to participate. All school employees at this station will be wearing masks and gloves.
  • Once all participants have been screened, the family group will be led to a staging area. All family members will remain in the staging area together and will be at least 25 feet away from others throughout the entire process. A school employee will ensure that the graduate is in their cap and gown and meet district dress code requirements. Graduates will receive any regalia they earned from a school employee who will be wearing a mask and gloves.

 

  • Participants will then move to the third station where graduates will receive any scholarships or awards they have earned, again from a school employee wearing a mask and gloves.

 

  • Finally, participants will move to the stage. A school employee will announce the name of the graduate as they walk the stage and receive their diploma cover from the principal. All diploma covers will be sanitized prior to distribution. The principal will be the only person handling the diploma covers and he will sanitize his hands after touching each diploma cover.

 

  • Once the video and pictures have been taken, the family members will exit Harvester Field out a side gate, separate from where they entered.

 

  • Participation by a student or family member in the ceremony is voluntary and is not required or compelled by the school.

     

  • Hand sanitizer will be available at the entrance to the field.

     

  • School employees will be limited to the minimum number needed to logistically support the event.

     

  • A link to the compilation graduation video will be made available to members of the Class of 2020 by June 1.

May 23

 

 

 

 

(This Parade plan has been approved by legal counsel and by the Gray County COVID-19 Task Force)

 

We are unable to hold a traditional face-to-face graduation ceremony before May 29 as per Gov. Abbott’s Executive Order. If our county had less than 5 active COVID-19 cases 7 days prior to May 23, then we would qualify for a traditional graduation with restrictions. Sadly, we do not.

  • Senior Graduation Parade (Details and Instructions Below)
  • The graduate and their immediate family members will arrive in their vehicle.They will be instructed to park in a designated spot.They will remain in their vehicle.While in their vehicle, they will each be screened for the symptoms of COVID-19, as prescribed in the aforementioned TEA document.Anyone displaying any of the eleven symptoms of COVID-19 will not be allowed to participate.
  • Each vehicle will be given three graduation programs and one mortar board (graduation cap) for the graduate to throw at the end of the parade!
  • All school employees at this station will be wearing masks and gloves as recommended for safety.
  • Once all participants have arrived and have been screened, the parade will begin (appx 9:00am).
  • Each graduate will be able to appropriately decorate their vehicle and even their graduation cap, if they desire.All decorations must be completed before being staged for the parade.The decorations must adhere to all school, local, state, and federal guidelines.
  • Only cars and pick-up trucks will be allowed.Due to the volume of participants (240+) we need to limit this to one car/pickup per graduate.Other vehicles, trailers, ATV’s, floats, etc. will not be permitted to participate in the parade.
  • The parade route will be determined with the support of the City of Pampa and will be published as we get closer to May 23.
  • The parade will conclude at PHS.We will again park vehicles in assigned spots.
  • At the conclusion of the graduation ceremony on the radio, graduates--and the graduates only- will be allowed to step out of their vehicle, keeping safe social distancing, to throw a mortar board (graduation cap).
  • We will record this moment with video from a drone and with pictures. Graduates will NOT retrieve this cap.We will gather these caps and use them for future events.After throwing the cap, the students will get back in their vehicle, and leave in an orderly fashion following the directions given by school officials.
  • We will have school personnel and local law enforcement present to ensure the safety of all participants and that social distancing measures are practiced.

Participation by a student or family member in the parade is voluntary and is not required or compelled by the school. School employees will be limited to the minimum number needed to logistically support the event.

June 1

  • Seniors can pick up their diploma’s from the PHS Counselor’s office (we will communicate procedures for this as we get closer to June 1).
  • Seniors may also request a transcript to be picked up at this time as well.Call 806-669-4800 for information on how to request a transcript.
  • Link to the Senior Walk Video will be published on PISD YouTube channel.

June 27

  • We have scheduled the Class of 2020 Commencement ceremony to take place at 9:00 am at Harvester Field.Details and restrictions for this event will be forthcoming and will be aligned with executive orders from both the state and local authorities.

 

  • PROM 2020 has also been postponed until June 27 at 7:00pm.The location has not yet been determined.Again, we will provide more information and guidance as those become available from the Governor’s office and local authorities. According to the Gov. Executive Orders on May5, 2020 indoor, face-to-face ceremonies or events are not permissible at this time for schools.

 

Pampa ISD is holding these graduation ceremonies and events in accordance with the social distancing guidelines articulated by federal, state, and local officials. Attendees must follow the guidelines and protocols articulated by state and local officials that apply to individuals, including maintaining a six-foot distance from those outside of your household and staying home when sick.

By attending the Pampa ISD graduation events, you acknowledge that despite compliance with social distancing and other guidelines, presence in a public place, near other persons, may result in increased exposure to people with infectious diseases, including COVID-19. You acknowledge, by your attendance at graduation events, that you fully assume all risk of bodily harm, illness, death and medical treatment that may result from contact with persons at Pampa ISD graduation activities.  

The CDC recognizes the following individuals are at high-risk for severe adverse COVID-19 reactions, and should consult with a physician before attending this function or should not attend:

  • People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
  • People who have serious heart conditions
  • People who are immunocompromised
    • Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications
  • People with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] of 40 or higher)
  • People with diabetes
  • People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis
  • People with liver disease

 

See: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-at-higher-risk.html

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

 

Pampa ISD

 

We are receiving guidance every day from local and state authorities on the do's and don'ts during this difficult time.  We will continue to provide updates as we learn more and have more details.

 


Published on 05/11/2020

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