On Feb 23, OCPS announced plans to host an in-person graduation and an alternative prom for seniors. Up until this point, the status of a graduation ceremony remained unclear, due to COVID-19 restrictions.
While graduation is in-person, COVID-19 precautions will be in place. Students and attendees must wear OCPS approved masks while at the graduation and all guests will be socially distanced throughout the Amway Center. To promote social distancing, students will be given less tickets than previous years but the exact number of tickets has not been announced yet.
“All of the graduations will happen in person with face masks at the Amway — that’s where OCPS has the capacity and permission to have it there,” Superintendent Barbra Jenkins added.
The tentative schedule for Boone’s ceremony is May 20 at 8:30 a.m. There will also be a drive-thru graduation hosted on campus May 12 at 6 p.m. For students, OCPS will order the Class of 2021 masks to wear to the ceremony.
“I don’t think any of this is really normal. But I guess the end of senior year, which will have graduation and the prom, will be more normal than the beginning [of the school year],” senior Samantha DeVilleres said.
Additionally, seniors will also have the opportunity to attend a non-dancing senior prom reception that will be hosted on campus. For $10 students can participate in photo opportunities, senior superlatives and games on April 17.
“I don’t think I’m going to go, but, it’s a nice spot for them to do that for us,” DeVilleres said
Tickets for the senior prom reception go on sale March 22 to March 27 on SchoolPay. OCPS and school administrators plan to release more information as plans are approved.