The Class of 2021 in Granville County Public Schools may have a “normal” graduation after all following a called meeting of the board of education Monday. The board voted 7-0 to allow modified, outdoor, in-person graduation ceremonies, as well as bringing back middle- and high school students to in-person learning beginning April 19.
Graduating seniors will have the option of participating in the in-person graduation ceremony OR a district-wide drive-through ceremony on June 5 if families are not comfortable attending the graduation ceremony at their child’s high school, according to Dr. Stan Winborne, assistant superintendent for human resources & operations and public information officer
Seniors will NOT have a traditional senior prom this year; the board voted 7-0 to follow state DHHS recommendations and cited COVID-transmission risks associated with a dance celebration. Instead, high schools will plan “special socially-distanced outdoor events to celebrate the senior year experience,” Winborne said, which will be linked to positive school attendance and focus on the senior class. Details would be shared with the public no later than April 15, 2021.
Below is the list of schools and graduation dates and times:
- Granville Early College: May 21 at 7 p.m.; rain date, 5/22, 10 a.m.
- Granville Central: June 4, 9 a.m.; rain date, June 11, 9 a.m.
- Granville Academy: June 4, 11 a.m.; rain date, June 11, 11 a.m.
- F. Webb: June 4, 7:30 p.m.; rain date, June 11, 7:30 p.m.
- South Granville: June 5, 9 a.m.; rain date, June 12, 9 a.m.
Granville Central, Granville Early College and Granville Academy will hold their graduations on the Granville Central football field, weather permitting; Webb and South Granville also will have their ceremonies on their respective football fields, weather permitting.
The drive-through graduation is scheduled to be held at Northern Granville Middle School. Individual high schools will release more information as details are finalized.
The approved motion directed staff to prepare for students in grades 6-12 to shift from in-person learning from two days a week to four days a week, according to Winborne. Currently, students in grades 6-12 who attend school in-person are assigned to 2 groups (A or B), each physically reporting to school two days a week. Both groups attend school virtually for the other three days they are not physically in school.
Beginning on Monday, April 19, the two groups will merge into a single group and all in-person students will attend school Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Wednesday remains a remote learning day for all students. All families who previously chose to have their students remain on full virtual learning will do so for the remainder of the school year, Winborne said.