Graduation Plans Announced For Hamden High School

HAMDEN, CT — Graduation plans for Hamden High School seniors will include a virtual ceremony along with a drive-through ceremony at Town Center Park for the distribution of diplomas, officials announced Monday.

In a message to families, Hamden High School Principal Nadine Gannon said they have been “working hard to make graduation for the Class of 2020 a special event while still adhering to the regulations and guidelines issued by the State of Connecticut.”

“Governor Lamont’s most recently updated guidelines from Thursday, June 4 allow a gathering of no more than 150 people, including graduates, families and staff,” Gannon said. “With over 400 graduates, this regulation would not allow Hamden High’s graduates to assemble together and would also limit only two family members to witness one of the most important milestones of their student’s life. We want to offer a better event for our graduates and their families.”

School administrators met last week with town officials and the Quinnipiack Valley Health District to discuss “creative graduation options” that would meet the school community’s needs. Gannon noted that there is “no guarantee that an August graduation would not have the same public health restrictions as July.”

The Quinnipiack Valley Health District approved of the following graduation plan, which also received the support from the school’s senior class officers, according to Gannon.

Class of 2020 Graduation Ceremony Plan

Virtual Video Presentation of Ceremonial Portion: This portion of the ceremony will include: student speeches, Principal Gannon’s address, salutation from M. Arturo Perez-Cabello, Board of Education Chairperson, and well wishes from Mayor Leng and Superintendent Goeler, which will be pre-recorded and published.

Distribution of Diplomas: For the conferring and distribution of diplomas to graduates, we will be holding a drive-through ceremony at the Town Center Park. Students will be assigned by their House (alphabet) at designated times throughout the day on Wednesday, July 8 (rain date July 10) beginning at 9 a.m.

Officials are also working to have the drive-through portion of the ceremony live-streamed throughout the day and broadcast on FM radio.

There will be several protocols graduates and families will have to follow. Each graduate will be allowed up to two cars for the ceremony and both cars are required to process together (one after the other) with the graduate riding in the first car on the driver’s side (behind the driver). There will be two check-in stations that cars will move through before proceeding to the stage.

Once graduates arrive at the second station, they will exit the car. Graduates must be wearing a face covering when they exit the car, according to Gannon.

“Graduates will proceed to the stage,” Gannon wrote in the letter. “The diploma will be placed on a table at a designated spot for the graduate. The graduate's name will be called over the loudspeaker. At that time the graduate will have a professional photo taken and may remove their face covering and turn their tassel. No congratulatory handshakes will be exchanged. All other members of the graduate’s party must remain in the car(s). If any person in the graduate’s family (including graduate) is feeling ill on the day of graduation, please do not participate in the July 8th ceremony (or rain date).

“We will continue to provide detailed information regarding our graduation ceremony as it becomes available. I know this is not the outcome many of our graduates were hoping for, but it is the safest and most inclusive plan we have been able to conceive in consultation with Town Officials, Quinnipiack Valley Health District (QVHD) and Senior Class Officers.

“Thank you for your patience, support and understanding as we worked through the safest graduation we could plan under these challenging circumstances.”