Board votes against on-site instruction, district announces 2020 graduation plan

The Whitehall School Board voted Friday afternoon to not reconvene onsite instruction for the last 20 days for the 2019- 2020 school year from May 7 to June 4.

Prior to the vote, Superintendent Hannah Nieskens shared the results of a survey sent to parents asking for their input on if school should continue. Nieskens reported they had 211 responses with 64.5 percent saying they would not send their child back to school and 35.5 in favor of returning to school.

In a release from the district, Nieskens said the most impactful contributing factor to the vote was the input of the parents via the survey.

School will continue the remainder of the year through off-site education through June 4.

"Grades for Quarter 4 will be issued based upon a child's 3rd Quarter grade as well as the quantity and quality of work submitted digitally or via work packets. Starting Thursday, May 7, work packets may be returned to the school offices by mail or by dropping them off each Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am - 2 pm. The district will continue to distribute meals through June 4 using the same procedure as the past six weeks," Nieskens said in the release.

GRADUATION

District officials also announced Friday their tentative plans for the 2020 graduation ceremony.

"The graduating class of 2020 is coming of age in a time that is unprecedented in human history. The School Board took action at today's (April 24) meeting to possibly allow, to the maximum extent possible, as provided by federal and state guidelines, to host an in-person ceremony in our varsity gym," Nieskens said.

In an email to seniors and their parents/guardians, WHS Principal Melissa Robbins stated a policy was adopted that provides the school with guidelines to conduct a graduation ceremony under specific parameters.

"If the state or federal guidelines change, the ceremony plans might be modified in accordance with those changes. If a graduate chooses not to participate in his/her ceremony, the tentative schedule outlined below may change so that we can have 6 graduates at a time. I will update you well in advance of May 31st," Robbins said.

CEREMONY INFO

FROM DISTRICT

From Principal Melissa Robbins

Following state and federal guidelines, we can have 50 people in our building at an event; social distancing and sanitization will follow the guidelines. After gathering input from parents and students this past week and following the school board policies adopted today, the district will have ceremonies as described below:

On the day of graduation, May 31st, there will be five smaller ceremonies honoring 6 seniors at a time. Each senior can have 6 guests attend their graduation, who will all be safely seated in small groups carefully spaced out in the gym. Upon entering and exiting the building, families are expected to practice social distancing. The scheduled times are established to provide social distancing between arrivals and departures of families. The ceremony is not mandatory for graduates to receive their diploma. If health and safety concerns prevent a graduate from attending, their diploma will be mailed to them; please let Ms. Robbins know as soon as possible.

The professional video production will be presented at each ceremony, and students will be able to receive their diploma traditionally, by walking the stage. The video will include all components of the graduation; each family will see and hear the honored speaker, valedictorian and salutatorian speeches, scholarship and Golden W awards, baby pictures slideshow, etc. We are excited that each senior will be able to have their closest family members witness their official diploma retrieval in person and seniors will be able to walk across the stage! The prerecorded ceremony, which recognizes each graduate and contains all of the components listed above, will be provided to graduates to share with family, friends, and the community.

In addition, TeleSystems services will video broadcast the entire day (each of the 5 ceremonies) and stream live from 9 am – 4 pm and on both internet and television. This will allow additional family and friends to witness graduates receive their diploma.

Tentatively your family can plan for this:

8:45 AM Families Arrive: Morgan B, Hunter C, Ashlynn A, Riley F, Troy F, Brandon G

9 AM Ceremony Begins

10:15 AM Families Arrive: Duncan G, Bailee H, Joey H, Alleck H, Madison H, Mary H

10:30 AM Ceremony Begins

11:45 AM Families Arrive: Abby H, Payton K, Mike W, Alicia K, Madison L, Audrey M

12PM Ceremony Begins

1:15 AM Families Arrive: Asha N, Ashtin P, Lee P, Grace R, Caleb S, Kaya S

1:30 Ceremony Begins

2:45 PM Families Arrive: Lori T, Hannah T, Rebecca W, Gaten W, Britney W, Mya Z

3 PM Ceremony Begins