Cheshire Graduation Plans Change Again Due To Coronavirus

CHESHIRE, CT — Plans for Cheshire High School’s graduation have changed once again – this time because members of the community have tested positive for the coronavirus, officials announced Friday.

After power had been restored to the Cheshire High School campus, officials decided to hold three ceremonies on Sunday to allow small groups of students to graduate on the field. However, they will now revert to the original drive-through plan.

“It is with deep regret that I inform you that we once again must change our graduation ceremony,” Superintendent of Schools Jeffrey F. Solan wrote in a letter to families of graduating seniors. “It came to our attention this morning that we have individuals in our community who tested positive for the virus that would impact our ceremony. Please know that the Chesprocott Health District is working closely with those who test positive to engage in contact tracing and they will notify you if they have reason to believe that you may have come into contact with a positive testing person.

“This situation underscores how important it is to adhere to public health guidance, particularly with the number of people who are traveling out of state over the summer. If you do elect to travel to an area identified with a travel advisory, your travel party is required to quarantine for 14 days upon return. Taking these precautions will best ensure the safety of our community and accelerate our return to normal.”

After consulting with the Chesprocott Health District, Solan said they determined that “returning to our drive-through plan for Sunday is safest for the community.”

“To say that this graduation has been a rollercoaster for our students, families, and staff may be one of the all time understatements,” Solan said. “While the situation has not played out the way that anyone envisioned it, I truly appreciate the flexibility and resilience shown by everyone. I need to expressly thank Dr. Gadd, Chris Stewart, Police Chief Dryfe, Fire Chief Casner, and Chesprocott Executive Director, Maura Esposito, for their unwavering support and guidance through this period.

“This has been a challenging time for our community and I hope that Sunday afternoon is a ray of light for families to be able to step back from the chaos and celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates.”