Manchester Planning Live And Virtual Graduations

MANCHESTER, NJ — Manchester Township school officials are working on plans for an in-person high school graduation ceremony that will fit the guidelines issued by the state Department of Education on Wednesday.

Superintendent David Trethaway said Manchester is making "every effort to provide a live ceremony under the new guidelines for our seniors. "

The live ceremony will be in addition to Manchester's virtual graduation ceremonies for the high school and middle school. The middle school virtual graduation is scheduled for June 19, and the high school graduation is scheduled for June 22.

The high school's virtual ceremony includes each student being recorded getting a diploma and having their family witness it.

High school seniors and parents were given a specific time to report to the high school to be recorded receiving their diploma on a stage set up at the front of the school. School photographers will also be available to take a picture, as is the case in the traditional ceremony, Trethaway said.

Those recordings will continue to be made, he said. The final recording will "allow an unlimited amount of people to witness the ceremony, whereas the live ceremony will probably be limited in attendance," he said.

"I understand that several of our seniors and families may be unable to attend the later graduation date due to military or some family commitments. Therefore, it is important for all of our seniors to have the opportunity to be recorded getting a diploma and having their family witness that event as well as the entire ceremony," Trethaway said.

The district's technology teacher, video teacher, technology supervisor and public information officer will be putting the recordings together in the same sequence as the traditional graduation and will add other items to make the program special.

"It is important to plan in advance with a virtual ceremony but be flexible enough and hope for the restrictions to be lifted to also include some form of a live ceremony," Trethaway said. "This class of 2020 should be able to have both."

"At this time our priority continues to be the seniors graduating so no decision has been made on offering a live promotional ceremony at a later date for the middle school," he said.

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