If it rains, simulcast of commencement ceremony is planned for limited audience
By Gene Robbins, Managing Editor
School officials are preparing in case high heat and thunderstorms force tonight’s high school graduation program indoors.
With memories of last year’s sauna-like conditions for commencement held in the gymnasium, the high school is prepared to video simulcast the ceremony into the air-conditioned Commons for a limited number of attendees.
More than 600 graduates are expected to receive a diploma.
Class valedictorian Shreehari Raghavan, salutatorian Rachael Van Pelt and class President Jimmy Cao will speak as will Superintendent Jorden Schiff, Board of Education President Thomas Kinst and High School Principal Karen Bingert.
Last year, temperatures were well into the 90s inside, and emergency medical squad members dealt with at least a couple of cases of fainting and stress from inability to handle the heat.
If it is excessively warm (as anticipated), but without rain, elderly or heat-sensitive people are urged to reconsider attending since there is no indoor seating if the ceremony is held outside nor is there any shade.
A decision about the location of graduation will be made at 3 p.m. Thursday, three hours before the scheduled start of the ceremony, Ms. Bingert said.
An Instant Alert will be sent to the parents of seniors, and the location will be posted on the HHS website. Overflow parking is available at the park & ride nearby on Amwell Road, and a shuttle bus will be provided to get to the high school.
Graduates were each given five tickets. Two will gain entrance to the gym for the actual ceremony. If the ceremony is held inside, two tickets will gain access to the Commons, which is air conditioned and where the ceremony can be viewed via simulcast.
One ticket is only good for an outdoor graduation.
There is only enough seating in the gym and Commons to accommodate two tickets per graduate in each location. All five tickets are valid for an outdoor graduation.
After the graduates have entered the stadium, additional spectators without tickets are welcome to enter and sit in the visitors stands; only ticket-holders will be allowed in prior to the processional.
If the ceremony is indoors, the ceremony will be simulcast. All entrances to an indoor graduation will be from the gym side of the building only, not the main or library entrances. Tickets for the gym will be accepted at the main gym entrance, and tickets for the Commons at the gym’s corner doors.
If the ceremony is outdoors, the video of the ceremony will be available on public access TV in the coming weeks; there will be no simulcast.