OCSD To Hold One Graduation Ceremony With 5 Guests Per Student

OCSD News Graphic. Image provided by CiTi.

OSWEGO – The Class of 2021 from Oswego High School will graduate in front of a full-capacity crowd of 1,500 together as seniors during one ceremony next week, district officials announced yesterday evening.

After state regulations allowed for 100% venue capacity and lifted restrictions for outdoor year-end events and graduations earlier this week, the district altered its plan to allow five guests per student at the Oswego City School District ceremony on Saturday, June 26 at 10 a.m.

“The Class of 2021 has sacrificed so much over the past year-plus and have missed out on many social occasions and special events,” said OCSD Superintendent Dr. Mathis Calvin III. “For us to be able to give them a ceremony that will look and feel like normal is incredibly heartwarming. It will be very special, and I know I’ll never forget it.”

The ceremony will be held in the district’s new multipurpose athletic complex at full capacity, per officials, meaning 1,500 people can be in the stands or on the field to cheer on the graduates. They added that masks will only need to be worn by those in attendance who are unvaccinated.

The new state guidelines mean districts are no longer required to enforce social distancing, screening protocols, mitigating strategies, cleaning protocols, masking or require proof of vaccination for any outdoor year-end celebrations and graduations for any vaccinated persons, a letter from Calvin sent to community members Thursday evening said.

“This change to our ceremony allows for a desire that many of our seniors have shared with district administration earlier (Thursday): the ability to have our Class of 2021 graduate in-person, together instead of being separated as a class,” Calvin wrote.

Calvin said this guidance applies only to outdoor events and any upcoming year-end events indoors would still require masks for students and visitors.

If there is bad weather June 26, the district would hold the ceremony on the rain date of Sunday, June 27 at 10 a.m. at the stadium.

Officials noted the ceremony will be live streamed on YouTube.com/WBUCNY for those unable to attend as a guest.

The full letter from Calvin with ceremony details and updated guidelines is available on the district website, Oswego.org.

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