Everett Schools To Hold “Semi-Virtual” Graduation In Near Empty Auditorium With No Parents Allowed

In a letter to students and parents today the Everett School District announced plans to hold a semi-virtual graduation where students would walk into a nearly empty auditorium, without friends or family present and be videotaped walking across a stage to pick up their diploma. Here’s an excerpt from the letter.

PROVIDED WE ARE IN PHASE 2 of the governor’s phased reopening, we are able to film individual graduates walking across the graduation stage in their cap and gown at Civic Auditorium. If we are not in phase 2 by June 10 we will try and postpone filming for a week or two hoping phase 2 will start. If not, we will implement plan B, which is 100% virtual and involves collecting photos of seniors to splice into the final digital graduation. We will be collecting photos for school slide shows that could be used in this back-up option.

We have contracted with Jostens to help facilitate a graduation ceremony for each high school which will combine an in-person and virtual experience. You will receive more detailed information shortly from your school, but presuming Snohomish County will be in phase 2 and we can proceed, commencement filming will be June 10-13.
On those days, graduates will receive a designated (precise and ample) time to arrive at Civic Auditorium, will park in the back by the gym and stay in their car until their number is called. They will be in their caps and gowns with masks and will be socially distanced via markings on the sidewalks, with no more than 5 in line at a time.

One at a time, with no family accompanying them, they enter the auditorium where there will be a videographer, photographer and administrator (never more than 5 in the room total). They will take off their mask, get recorded walking across the stage and picking up their diploma off the table, walk off the stage and get their photo taken, re-mask and go directly to their car. Then, the next student enters and repeats the same process. There will be accommodations for students who do not have transportation and assurance there will be no group gatherings, extra masks and hand sanitizer will be provided and cleaning precautions will be in effect. The recording will be spliced together afterward with prerecorded speeches to make a complete digital graduation celebration.

About one week after the recordings occur, there will be a YouTube premiere of each high school graduation.

You can read the entire letter hereread the entire letter hereread the entire letter here.