Schools are setting dates for graduation ceremonies

School districts within Cass County have announced or are in the process of setting dates for graduation ceremonies.

Linden-Kildare Superintendent Keri Winters told the Journal-Sun that commencement ceremonies are currently planned for Jun. 5. Winters said, “Still working out the details.”

On Friday, Dr. Charlotte Williams, Superintendent for Queen City Schools wrote, “Queen City does not have any final plans as yet. I hope to during the coming week.”

Superintendent Brian Stroman of Bloomburg said his district would be approving their graduation ceremony date Monday night.

On May 7, Hughes Springs announced on its Facebook page that graduation will take place on Friday, Jun 5 at 8:00 p.m. “Each graduate will receive a

“Each graduate will receive a set number of tickets for the ceremony.”

The district has not yet released the number of tickets each graduate will receive.

On May 8, Atlanta Superintendent Sidney Harrist and High School Principal Nancy Rinehart announced in a letter that the High School’s graduation date has been changed to May 29 at the Atlanta Rabbit Stadium.

“More details will be disseminated as plans are finalized. If there should be inclement weather, a make-up date will be announced at a later time.”

Additionally, “To comply with guidelines, each student will be issued five tickets and tickets are non-transferable to another student. To be as fair as possible, students will draw for spectator seating assignments on Monday, May 11 during their locker clean out time. The school will randomly assign seats for those that do not show up to draw.”

The administrators apologized for any inconvenience the procedures may cause, “However we are doing our best to accommodate families while still adhering to safety guidelines that must be followed for the health and safety of all involved.”

The Texas Education Agency announced comprehensive graduation ceremony guidance for Texas school systems on May 5. As part of Governor Greg Abbott’s Strike Force to Open Texas, TEA is providing four different pathways for schools to celebrate their graduating seniors.

Completely virtual ceremonies that take place entirely online, with the use of videoconference or other technologies, hybrid ceremonies, which consist of a compilation of videos of students being recognized in person as they celebrate graduation in small groups, vehicle ceremonies, in which students and their families wait in their cars while other graduates are recognized one at a time with their families alongside them, and outdoor in-person ceremonies, which are currently permitted for counties with restrictions between May 15 and May 31.

An outdoor ceremony may take place in any Texas county on or after June 1.

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath remarked, “Graduation ceremonies mark a major milestone for students and their families. All educators are committed first and foremost to ensuring the health and safety of our students, families, and staff. By taking the necessary precautions developed by medical experts, we can ensure we appropriately honor our Class of 2020 graduates while keeping everyone safe.”