Massena Central planning for on-campus graduation ceremony at the end of July

Massena Central is hoping to hold a full outdoor ceremony on their campus in late July.

Massena Central High School Principal Sarah Boyce said they are making that decision based on feedback from the senior class.

“A survey was sent out to the senior class regarding their ideas for a 2020 ceremony. They were also asked what part of graduation they are looking forward to the most. The results of the survey showed that what the student look forward to the most was being together one last time as a class to say goodbye. The second was to walk across the stage and receive their diploma,” Boyce said. “With the current restrictions, amended on June 7, 2020, we would only be able to provide them with one of their priorities, not both.”

Therefore, they are aiming for a graduation ceremony on July 25 at 7 p.m. at the high school, with a rain date of July 26 at 7 p.m.

“We have such a beautiful campus,” Boyce said. “It is our hope that more restrictions will ease up and we will be able to bring our seniors together in person as a class one more time and allow them to walk across the stage to receive their diploma. If the restrictions do not ease up, we will still go ahead with a ceremony on July 25 that follows the guidelines from the Department of Health.”

She said most students wanted to delay graduation with hopes that social distancing requirements would be relaxed by then.

“We completed a significant amount planning with the idea that we would have a drive up, student could exit their car, receive their diploma and return to their car,” Boyce said.

However, current statewide restrictions on gatherings would have made it complicated.

“If we stayed with that plan, we would have to have at least two sessions, possibly three, to accommodate all 178 graduates. Then the governor announced that school districts could have graduations up to 150,” Boyce said.