Graduation Resources and Ideas

With the COVID-19 pandemic closing schools statewide and disrupting plans for graduation ceremonies, schools need to be creative to recognize the accomplishments of their seniors. Many district leaders are considering rescheduling events – if the pandemic and space availability allow – but they still want to give seniors a few special memories now. 

The Oregon Department of Education recently released guidance on high school graduation ceremonies. The email to superintendents and principals said the class of 2020, as well as other grade levels, should be celebrated while still honoring Gov. Kate Brown’s “Stay Home, Save Lives” coronavirus pandemic order.

• ODE Guidance on 2020 Graduation

Resources 

These templates are fillable PDFs that you can customize with an image and text. Email egood@osba.org if you need assistance. To export a PDF file to a picture file, click FILE < EXPORT TO < IMAGE < Select JPEG and click SAVE.

• Social Media Template 
• Slide Template 
• Yard Sign Template 

Light up high school stadiums

• #BeTheLightOR campaign picks up steam in Oregon
• Oregon high schools lighting up their stadiums at 8:20 p.m. to honor coronavirus-impacted senior class

Put up yard signs

• Local sign company works to honor high school seniors ahead of graduation (Eugene)
• Eugene School District provides free signs to every senior
• Video: Local business celebrating 2020 seniors (Klamath Falls)
• Video: No pomp; crazy circumstance: Mom’s signs celebrate seniors (Central Oregon)

Class of 2020 graduation ceremony ideas

Ask your school community

• Districts plan for alternate celebrations (Central School District)
• Graduation comes early to Malheur County's class of 2020
• Wenatchee Valley grad ideas 2020: Drive-in, parade, or just log in?

Parade

• Baker High School planning citywide procession of vehicles for alternative graduation on June 7

Graduation at a drive-in

• Umatilla School District plans for Class of 2020 
• Solutions for graduating seniors (Weston-McEwan High School)
• Graduation plans come into focus for some
• Drive-in graduation planned for Astoria due to virus
  

Online graduation

• Roseburg High School to host virtual graduation ceremony June 6
• Rogue Community College to have online graduation

Share resources with neighboring districts

• Wenatchee and Eastmont school districts's plan is to pool resources to offer a large outdoor venue for graduation, complete with a stage, lights and a massive screen. Students and families would stay in their cars during the condensed ceremony. Students would individually approach the stage in an organized format that would meet social distancing requirements. Both districts would use the same venue, with the graduations for WestSide, Wenatchee and Eastmont happening at different times. Read the news article here. 

Live-stream graduation

• Coordinate with your local radio station to broadcast the ceremony. Do not use your own transmitter. If your local radio option isn’t an option, "Call-to-listen" services can be used that do not require an internet connection for the listener. Two such services are Zeno Media or Audio Now. The school would provide the program with the audio feed, (via the internet) and they provide the school with a phone number that their audience can use to listen to the audio stream.  This service allows participants to use any phone, including landline, to listen to the program. Another option is to use internet streaming services such as Facebook Live. Viewers/listeners would need a smart phone or internet connected device to participate.