Bowling Green Superintendent Francis Scruci released the following letter Tuesday evening to seniors and their families:
Dear Class of 2020 parents and students,
Governor DeWine as you know has determined that we will complete our school calendar year on-line. While he is talking about a soft opening he still has maintained the order of no large gatherings.
I realize that we all are at our wits end with having to stay put and that our normal lives are nowhere near normal today. We also do not know when it will be normal again.
Due to the pandemic emergency and the uncertainty surrounding our commencement, we have decided to keep graduation on our originally scheduled date of May 31. However, the Governor even alluded during yesterday’s press conference that we need to prepare in the event that we have to start the first semester of the 2020-21 school year on-line.
We are facing a quandary as what is the right thing to do and how to still make the Class of 2020 feel special while maintaining the directives of the
Governor and maintaining social distancing. Please understand that we are taking this seriously and understand how hard this has been on everyone. We will do all we can to make this a special day.
With that said and after yesterday’s announcement we have planned to do the following while returning to the original May 31, 2020, Commencement date.
– April 29th seniors will pick up their caps and gowns at the school. Information has already been sent to you from Mr. Dever. The Josten’s rep will be at a table in front of the school by the Bobcat and will distribute Caps, Gowns, and Graduation Announcements.
– Beginning today through May 8th any senior who would like to address their class with a graduation speech, is encouraged to do so.
– We ask that this be done in a video format and that students wear their cap and gown during the final taping as if they were addressing their classmates at Commencement.
– We ask that the videos do not exceed 5 minutes.
– We ask that when you film your son or daughter delivering their speech that you record horizontally for formatting purposes.
– The High School Administration and Graduation team will select 3 or 4 senior speeches that will be included in the virtual commencement exercise.
– Videos should be emailed to Principal Mr. Dever or Assistant Principal Mr. Black at jjdever@bgcs.k12.oh.us or dtblack@bgcs.k12.oh.us
– On Sunday, May 31, 2020 we will have a Class of 2020 graduation parade.
We have a parade route that we are working on with the City and will encourage community members and families to line the parade route to celebrate our Class of 2020 keeping social distancing in mind along the route.
– We will begin in the high school parking lot, turn right on Poe to Haskins. Left on Haskins to Wooster. Left on Wooster to Main Street. Left on Main to Poe. Left on Poe back to the high school where Mr. Dever will hand each graduate in their vehicle their diploma cover in front of the Bobcat.
– Diplomas will be sent in the mail beginning June 1 if all fees are paid in full.
– We ask that once the graduates have received their diploma cover that they leave the high school parking lot to avoid any potential for large gatherings and violating the Governor’s order.
As we work with the City to confirm the parade route, several things must take place.
– We must follow our current health and safety guidelines and limit each vehicle to one graduate per vehicle.
– We encourage parents/guardians to drive their graduate through the parade so our graduates will not be distracted drivers.
– Graduating seniors will not be permitted to walk the parade route.
– We ask that students wear their caps and gowns during the parade.
– We will be producing and sharing a video presentation with you and putting it on our webpage.
We are also working on a few other ideas again to make this as unique and special for a class that has had their senior year taken away from them by this pandemic emergency. We will share those additions to our ceremony as they are confirmed. Mr. Dever will be sharing more details as we move
through these next several weeks and if you have questions, please contact Mr. Dever or Mr. Black. I want to thank you for your continued support and understanding.
This is not an ideal situation but we must make the best of things that we cannot control.
Bobcat Proud,
Superintendent Francis Scruci
