Presented to the School Board (Revised based on MDE’s Guidelines)
On Friday, May 8, 2020 at 4:30pm, we received graduation guidelines from the
Mississippi Department of Education in consultation with the Mississippi
Department of Health and Center for Disease Control. Their guidelines are as follows:
The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) recommends that graduation ceremonies planned in May be held virtually, as drive-through events or be held outdoors with no more than 20 people at a time practicing social distancing.
Along with MSDH and CDC guidelines, considerations include:
• Limiting spectator attendance
• Providing individual ceremonies for smaller groups of graduates over several days
• Providing a livestream or broadcast of graduation by videoing individual students
• Following social distancing between families
• Consulting with your local health department to address local communityconcerns
In light of these guidelines, we feel it is prudent to follow these expectations as closely as possible.
The Simpson County School District is willing to host a traditional graduation for the Seniors of the Class of 2020 as soon as the restrictions and healthguidelines permit. Maybe in the late summer or early fall of this year. In the meantime, the High Schools of Simpson County are preparing to honor our 2020 graduates with a modified ceremony on the original graduation dates.
Mendenhall High School’s Modified Graduation Ceremony: Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 6pm Details: Mendenhall High School will opt to use our student parking lot for a drivethrough graduation. The students will be lined up in the student parking lot in processional order. We will set up the sound system so that the Valedictorian and Salutatorian can say their speeches. The students will receive their diplomas when their names are called while exiting the parking lot. No one will be allowed to leave their car for safety and health issues.
Magee High School’s Modified Graduation Ceremony: Date: Thursday, May 21, 2020 at 6pm Details: Magee High School will use the Sports Plex for their drive-in ceremony.
Seniors and immediate family members (those that can fit in one vehicle per student) will be asked to be at the Sports Plex for line up by 5:00pm. Staff will be assigned to line up cars from the designated start point to the baseball field area.
At 6pm the ceremony will start with broadcasting over Renew 96.9 FM. When speeches are done the procession of vehicles will begin with the names and awards of each senior being read over the radio as the car passes by the diploma table.
Administration will be at the diploma table and School Board further down the sidewalk area to wave as graduates pass by. Cars will be directed to circle back and form a loop (staff will be assigned to regulate traffic) until each senior has received their diploma. Finally, a senior delivers the benediction and Police lead the procession of vehicles out of the Sports Plex by the high school and disperse at Main Street.
