This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
05/25/2022 09:49 AMA class of 166 students from Valley Regional High School step forth as high school graduates in June as part of a ceremony that the school hopes will signal a return to normality.
The graduation ceremony for the VRHS Class of 2022 will take place on Wednesday, June 8, at 6:30 p.m. at the upper competition field across from the high school, with graduating seniors and all attendants not being required to wear masks, a shift from the masked and socially distant ceremony of the last year.
“The planning hasn’t been like it was last year,” said VRHS Principal Mike Barile. “Last year was significant: the masks, the two bleachers to space everyone out, pods where families were sitting, assigned seating. It was a much different situation.”
Given the large group of students graduating this year compared to previous classes, a large bleacher for the students to sit on during the ceremony will be present if any students wants to practice social distancing; masks are also optional.
Attendees, whether family or friends of graduating seniors, will not be required to be distant from one another, sitting in aligned chairs without distance.
Barile and VRHS’s administration do not anticipate a change in COVID-related guidelines for the ceremony, either as a decision made by them or a health requirement by the State Department of Health.
“Our school superintendent [Brian White] works with the Essex Health Department and Connecticut River Area Health District, the other health district that we collaborate with, and we’ve had no indication that would suggest guidelines that would have to be enforced,” said Barile.
The school administration is prepared for any changes that may have to take place for the outdoor ceremony, such as changes in weather that would force it to take place indoors, and also any changes that would have to be made related to new health guidelines they would have to take into consideration. However, Barile says that while the school is ready to make any health-related necessary changes, they are confident that the ceremony will take place as intended, and demonstrate a shift back to a pre-COVID time for the community.
“We’re ready to make a switch if necessary, but we’re really spending time on making this a great in-person graduation, similar to years past, which the community really enjoys,” he said.