Clifton ISD issued the following announcement.
We have now received guidance from the Texas Education Agency on graduation ceremonies, including the option to host an in-person, outdoor ceremony. No indoor graduation ceremonies will be allowed to take place. All approved ceremonies have strict guidelines and restrictions that Clifton ISD is required to follow. At the bottom of this letter, you can read the guidelines for the outdoor ceremony we have chosen to have at Cub Stadium.
Please understand the guidelines we will be under include allowing only a limited number of attendees, specific instructions for seating groups, as well as seating that must include the incorporation of social distancing. Each #TeamCHS senior will be issued five tickets and will have assigned seats. Families will sit on the home side and #TeamCHS seniors will sit six feet apart on the field, facing the home stands. As we finalize all other relevant details, such as parking, required screening and entry and exit plans, we will update you. Some rural Texas counties will be allowed to hold outdoor graduation ceremonies before June 1st, however, Bosque County does not qualify to do that. Therefore, we have scheduled our #TeamCHS Graduation for Thursday, June 4th at 8:00 p.m.
Our alternate dates and times in case of bad weather are Friday, June 5th at 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, June 6th at 10:00 a.m. Since virtual graduation ceremonies are allowed, we will also be creating a video of each #TeamCHS senior individually walking in to the Clifton ISD Performing Arts Center (PAC) to Pomp and Circumstance, as well as walking across the stage, receiving a diploma from their family members, having their picture taken on stage in their caps and gowns and ringing the bell at Cub Stadium. Each #TeamCHS senior will be contacted to schedule a time to complete their video. Once all #TeamCHS seniors have completed their video, all video clips will be edited together to create a complete graduation ceremony that will be shared with each #TeamCHS graduate.
As far as other events and activities, such as Baccalaureate, banquets and graduation rehearsal, according to the state guidance, graduates may only be brought together for one event and that will be graduation. Thank you for your patience, understanding and support as we work to celebrate our #TeamCHS class of 2020 in a special way.
Questions, comments or concerns?
Please contact me by cell phone, 254-707-1503, office phone, 254675-1825 or email, andy.ball@cliftonisd.org. AB Andy Ball #TeamCISD Superintendent Texas Education Agency Guidance for Graduation Ceremonies.
During the COVID-19 Outdoor in-person ceremonies are currently permitted for counties as follows: Between May 15 and May 31, 2020, an outdoor ceremony may take place in a rural county that has an attestation as described in the “Texans Helping Texans: The Governor’s Report to Open Texas” (April 27, 2020) that remains in effect 7 days prior to the ceremony. An outdoor ceremony may take place in any county on or after June 1.
Be advised, this permission is subject to change as underlying public health conditions change. Outdoor ceremonies must meet the following requirements:
• School systems must cap the number of total participants (inclusive of students, families, and staff) to a level that can be managed in the outdoor venue to maximize social distancing, both during the event and during entry and exit.
• School employees and school facilities must comply with the guidance for School Employees in School Facilities except as authorized by this guidance.
• Students and parents (or legal guardians) must comply with the guidance on Student NonInstructional Visits except as authorized by this guidance.
• Graduates may only be brought together for one event per class. No rehearsals will be permitted.
• Keep 6 feet or more of spacing between all participants, except that members of the same household (five individuals or fewer, excluding the graduate if seated with the household) may be allowed to sit together in the audience but must be at least 6 feet away from any other family group at all times.
• Hand sanitizer or hand washing stations must be available at all venue entrances.
• School employees at the ceremony must be limited to the minimum number needed to logistically support the ceremony.
• Diplomas or other documents may not be handed from person to person unless gloves are worn by those distributing diplomas or other documents to students.
• Consistent with the actions taken by many institutions across the state, consider having all employees, students, or other visitors wear cloth face coverings (over the nose and mouth) while inside any facilities, or if they will come within 6 feet of another person who is not a member of that person’s household, except when photos are taken. If available, they should consider wearing non-medical grade face masks.
• Care should be taken and effort must be made to mitigate virus exposure when participants come into contact with documents and other objects such as diplomas and awards.
• School employees must be stationed appropriately to ensure compliance with all requirements and to limit congregation.
• A robust communication plan must be in place to address steps to be taken before, during, and after the ceremony to ensure that participants are aware of safety protocols at the ceremony and explicit instructions to graduates not to congregate outside of school sponsored ceremonies or events.
• School officials should communicate with students’ families prior to the ceremony to determine how many family members will be attending so they can plan appropriately to implement social distancing measures, logistics, and other safety measures.
• Assigned seating for members of the audience should be considered to more efficiently ensure separation between household groups.
• Specific plans should be developed for arrivals and departures to ensure appropriate social distancing
• Prior to attending the ceremony, participating students and attending family members must be screened (via questioning) by school system employees for any of the following new or worsening signs or symptoms of possible COVID-19: o Cough o Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing o Chills o Repeated shaking with chills o Muscle pain o Headache o Sore throat o Loss of taste or smell o Diarrhea o Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit o Known close contact with a person who is lab confirmed to have COVID-19 if exposure to the active confirmed case occurred within the last 14 days **Those found with any of these signs or symptoms must be excluded from the activity**
Original source can be found here.
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