North Hills To Hold Unique In-Person Senior Commencement

ROSS TOWNSHIP, PA - Despite the coronavirus outbreak, North Hills High School seniors will have an in-person commencement ceremony. The district announced Tuesday that the event will occur May 30 from 9 a.m to approximately 3 p.m. at Martorelli Stadium.

It will not be a typical graduation ceremony.

To ensure social distancing guidelines are followed, each graduate will be given a scheduled time to report to the stadium. No more than four family members can attend and should arrive in the same vehicle if possible.

No one will be admitted into the stadium without a mask.

Families should park in the upper parking lot off Perry Highway and make their way to the check-in station at the North Hills arch which will be located on the visitors side along the end zone opposite the field house. A map will be provided to families.

After checking in, the graduate and family members will make their way across Martorelli field following the queue marked by arrows and stopping at various checkpoints along the way to be sure a safe distance is maintained between the family in front of them. Families should
expect this process to take about 20 minutes.

Once at the stage, the student will have their name, accomplishments and post-graduation plans read as they walk across and receive their diploma.

Each mini ceremony will be scheduled approximately one-minute apart to give each graduate and their family members time to take pictures and exit the stage area before the next graduate and family enters.

Photographer Jim Scott of Scott Studio will be located to the right of the stage as families exit the field to take the graduate’s picture and a family picture, if desired.

From there, the graduate and family will be directed back to the parking lot. To maintain safe distances between all families, graduates and their families must leave immediately after
exiting the professional picture area.

All graduates who wish to attend commencement must RSVP. Seniors who do not RSVP will not be given a time slot and thus will not be able to attend. All RSVPs must be received by the end of the day on May 13.

The student’s graduation time will be sent to the email address provided during the week of May 18.

The ceremony will be live-streamed on the North Hills School District's YouTube channel, and pictures and videos will be shared throughout the day on the district's social media.

The entire commencement will also be recorded and an edited video will be sent to families in June. This video will include speeches from principal Kevin McKiernan, school board president Allison Mathis and Class of 2020 President Averie Peet.

Caps and gowns will be distributed during the week of May 18.

Yearbooks will be distributed the first week in June during locker cleanout and book and iPad return. The complete plan for this week for all students is forthcoming.