Seniors and Families,

Despite the weather, we still plan to hold our individual graduation ceremonies on Friday, May 22 as planned. We are just moving the ceremony inside. Here is how it will work:

• Graduates are allowed to have no more than 8 guests (we recommend fewer than that, espcially since we are now in the buidling). Please arrive with the graduate and all guests ten minutes early. Example: if you signed up for 9:00, arrive at 8:50. 
• Arriving to Campus
• Park in the student parking lot; Handicapped parking is available via the carpool loop. 
• Graduates will put on their cap and gown (don’t worry if you don’t have one...just wear something nice). Unfortunately, the school cannot loan out any caps and gowns due to Covid-19 restrictions. 
• Checking In
• Walk toward the back student entrance and give your name to one of the staff members so we know you’re here.
• Dropping Off Items and Picking up Stoles & Cords
• Graduates and their guests will move to tables to turn in borrowed laptops/cords, internet hotspots, library books, supplemental English novels, and textbooks. Graduates (and possibly parents) have received an email from “WCPSS Destiny” with a list of any items that they need to turn in. 
• Graduates will pick up Latin Honor stoles and cords (if applicable) at the next table by the student entrance.
• Proceeding Toward the Ceremony
• Graduates will enter the buidling with their guests through the Wake Tech Hallway entrance to line-up. You will proceed down the Biopharm hallway and then turn toward the Atrium.  
• The line will move into the atrium. The graduate will move to the "X" in front of the podium. Guests will stand in front of the media center for the ceremony.
• The Ceremony
• The principal will call the graduate’s name and the graduate will move to the center of the stage. We will announce any awards, scholarships, honors, and plans for next year. Guests can take photos and videos directly in front of the stage. The graduate will pick up the diploma cover from the table, turn his/her tassel and be declared an official graduate.
• Exiting the Ceremony
• The graduate will exit the stage and rejoin their group of guests. The group will then move in the direction of the cafeteria. The graduate will pick up an enveloped with the actual diploma, graduation tickets/programs, certificates (if applicable), yearbook (if purchased), a bag with the contents of their locker (if applicable), and a Class of 2020 yard sign (thanks to the VMCCA and WTCC staff for purchasing these for all our seniors). The group will exit via the cafetetia. 
• Exiting Campus
• Graduates and guests should return to vehicles and exit campus immediately upon completing their individual ceremony. 

A few things to keep in mind:

• Protocols around social distancing MUST be followed. We are one of the few schools doing any sort of actual ceremony and we expect that members of the media will be on-site. If we are filmed violating these protocols, we risk being shut-down. 
• Families/Guests must stay together as a group and move through the preparation and line-up process with their graduate. There can be no more than 8 guests per graduate. Note that this is the number of tickets you would have received if we had our normal graduation. If a group needs to maintain distance amongst themselves, that is perfectly fine; just let a staff member know.
• You must stay at least 6 feet away from all staff, other families, and other graduates. There should be no physical contact except between family members. 
• All staff will be wearing masks; some will be wearing gloves. We recommend that guests do the same.
• Anyone that is sick, immunocompromised, or in a high-risk group should not attend.
• Our plan requires everyone (guests and graduates) to do a fair amount of walking. We do have an alternate plan for disabled guests but they will still have to walk and stand. 
• Graduates and guests will be standing the entire time (approximately 30-40 minutes from the time you arrive until the time you depart). There will not be chairs due to our inability to disinfect these properly between uses.
• Please honor your sign-up time. Otherwise, we may not have all the correct diplomas out for each time slot. Graduates arriving early or late will impact the time for other graduates and will compromise our ability to help maintain appropriate social distancing. All groups must depart campus when their personal ceremony is over.
• Do not invite more than 8 guests (graduate + 8 guests = 9 total members of the individual group). It is impossible to comply with the current health guidelines if the groups exceed this amount. Groups larger than this will not be allowed to participate. 

We recognize that some of our seniors and their families may not be comfortable interacting in public in the manner described above.  Those that don’t attend the event on May 22 will need to contact the school to schedule a time to pick up their diploma and turn in textbooks, laptops, hotspots, etc.