Framingham HS Graduation Will Be Students-Only Due To Coronavirus

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham High School will hold a graduation ceremony for the class of 2020 on Wednesday, but rising local coronavirus cases will put a bit of a damper on the event.

The traditional graduation was called off in the spring due to the pandemic. In June, Principal Carolyn Banach announced an Aug. 12 event, but few other details were released at the time.

Coronavirus cases did drop in Framingham and across the state between June and July. But now cases are back on the rise, and Gov. Charlie Baker on Friday announced new restrictions on gatherings to prevent further spread. On Tuesday, the size limit for outdoor gatherings was slashed from 100 to 50, although school activities are exempt.

Banach said Tuesday afternoon that the ceremony will be restricted to graduates only. The school had been deciding whether to allow families as recently as Monday.

"We have been working with local Board of Health officials in our decision-making process," Banach said Tuesday. "The recent uptick in COVID-19 cases has led to minimizing the number of people in attendance."

Framingham is one of a handful of communities around the state that has seen a marked rise in cases. On Monday, the city said that 24 more people had tested positive since Friday, and active cases jumped to 121 — the highest level since early July.

The ceremony is set to begin Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Bowditch Field. The event will be recorded for families to watch live and in the future.