High Schools In Norwalk To Hold Drive-In Graduations

NORWALK, CT — The high schools in Norwalk will hold drive-in style graduation ceremonies, with two at the Norwalk High and Brien McMahon and two in the Calf Pasture Beach parking lot, a concession to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic that shutdown schools this year.

The plan was announced by retiring Schools Superintendent Dr. Steven Adamowski during a Board of Education meeting on Tuesday.

P-Tech, which will graduate 16 students, will hold the first ceremony at 9 a.m. on July 25, on the Norwalk High School field (rain date is Aug. 1). Center for Global Studies will graduate 45 students, and that ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. on Aug. 1 on the Brien McMahon High School field (rain date is Aug. 2).

Norwalk High School's graduation will be held at 9 a.m. on Aug. 3 (rain date Aug. 5), and Brien McMahon's graduation will be held at 9 a.m. on Aug. 4 (rain date Aug. 6). About 380 seniors from Norwalk High School are expected to graduate, and about 400 seniors from Brien McMahon also are expected to graduate.

Calf Pasture Beach will be closed for at least 4 hours on both days to accommodate the graduations. Norwalk Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik agreed to have police officers handle the traffic and parking procedure, for which Adamowski thanked him.

Adamowski said staff at the two schools spoke to students about what type of graduation ceremonies they wanted, considering the limitations from the pandemic.

"There was very little support for virtual graduations, which many districts in the state and around the country are doing," Adamowski said. "They wanted, even on a limited basis, to be able to see their classmates and participate in some sort of ceremony."

Under the drive-in plan, students will be with their families in a vehicle, and the student will exit to pick up their diploma.

There will be graduation speakers, who will be by themselves on stage, Adamowski said.

"All the things that would normally occur at a graduation will occur at an appropriate distance," he said.

Additional details still need to be worked out, such as accommodations for families who do not own a vehicle; bathroom facilities; and whether families with separated parents will be allowed to use two vehicles.

Some of those and other logistical matters concerning the four graduations will be announced to parents and students beginning at the end of the week, Adamowski said.

In addition to the police chief, teachers and administrators that Adamowski thanked for their efforts in pulling the plan together, he also thanked Health Director Deanna D'Amore and Mayor Harry Rilling for their support and guidance in putting the plan into action.