I am pleased to share with you
the graduation plans for the Oxford Academy high school class of 2020. We would
like to thank the graduation advisor, senior class advisor and the graduation
committee for the work they have done to bring our plan into fruition. Thank you
also to those of you who offered ideas for the development of this plan under
the guidelines of the state requirements and the time frame for the
completion of this plan for this special event for our seniors.
As I am sure that
everyone is aware, we are bound at this time to follow specific requirements
set forth by Albany for the gathering of a group of people. Under these
parameters, we are limited to only 10 people at the same time in a gathering.
There has not been updated guidance from Albany allowing for more than this
number. This limitation prohibits the school from conducting a traditional
graduation ceremony and offers a challenge to the planners to give our students
the closest possible experience to an actual ceremony.
The graduation ceremony will be produced as a virtual ceremony, with the final product something that can be shared with family and friends, as a lasting memento of this special culmination of our seniors’ experiences and accomplishments at Oxford Academy. The footage for our ceremony will be filmed throughout the day on May 30 and will allow us to create a graduation that will include speeches, music and presentation of diplomas (actual diploma received later). Please be aware that we may not be together as a group at the same time.
It is not permitted under present
guidelines by the state. On May 30, each student will enter the school with
parents and proceed to the auditorium to have the opportunity to walk across
the stage at his/her appointed time. Student times will be arranged alphabetically,
and students will be asked to leave once videoed. Further guidelines for this day will be sent
to students by email, and to parents and students by letter and robocall.
Please adhere to the instructions for this event when you receive them. The
success of our graduation depends upon the cooperation and timeliness of all
concerned. The completed graduation
ceremony will be shown on our website on June 27, at the original appointed
time. Diplomas and scholarships will be delivered by hand on graduation day. We
thank everyone for their assistance in making this plan work for our students
during this special event in their lives.
As always, we must
reserve the right to modify this plan if needed considering the unknown nature
of the situation we find ourselves in.
Diane Bucino
Interim HS Principal