July 20, 2020 at 3:40 p.m.
RHS administration OKs in-person graduation
Ceremony set for July 31 at Mike Webster Stadium
RHS administration OKs in-person graduation
In a letter to members of the class and their families, Dornfeld said the decision to hold the ceremony was made "after much consideration and consultation with others."
"Obviously, we will have to have many safety measures in place to make this special event as safe as possible for everyone that plans on attending," Dornfeld wrote. "Nobody should be attending the ceremony if you are feeling sick."
The letter also stated that attendance at the ceremony is not mandatory for graduates.
"Safety of all students and guests is of utmost importance to us! If for any reason you do not want to attend, please call the HS main office 715-365-9500 ext. 8535 and speak with Megan Marchant during normal school hours starting today (July 16). She can mail your diploma to you or you can call and pick it up in front of RHS," the letter states.
Students will be given tickets that will allow admission for family members. Students from a "single household" will receive two tickets while students from dual households will receive four. The tickets will be given to the students at the mandatory practice set for 9 a.m. July 31 at the stadium. Students who do not attend the practice or who have outstanding fines and fees (including food service) will not be allowed to take part in the ceremony.
The letter also said that all payments for fines and fees made between now and the 31st must be made via money order or cash.
If weather is not favorable for the ceremony on July 31, families will be notified and a senior recognition parade through town will be conducted instead at 7 p.m.
"If we have to do the parade, the route and meeting point will be shared out to you in a later message as well. If we do a live in-person ceremony, it will be livestreamed on Facebook Live so that family members who are not able to be in person can still view the ceremony live," Dornfeld wrote. "If we do the parade, that will be broadcast live on Hodag Legends 101.3FM, so all speeches and music will be on air."
According to the letter, a number of steps will be taken to avoid the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that caused the district to move from in-person to virtual learning last spring.
The requirements for the in-person ceremony are as follows:
• Masks will be required for all students and guests
• Hand sanitizer will be provided at the entrance to the stadium
• 6 foot physical distancing will be used for seating
• Guests may bring their own chairs to sit around the track and distance if they would like to do that rather than sit in the bleachers 6ft. apart from other families.
• After the ceremony is concluded, all students and guests must leave the stadium area and not congregate in groups
• Diplomas will be given out to students attending the ceremony in front of RHS, outside the main entry, immediately following the ceremony. Only students need to be going to this area.
• Parking will be limited to James Williams Middle School and at Rhinelander High School.
No parking will be allowed on the quarter mile road between the middle school and high school because of the dome construction in progress and equipment.
• Students and guests will enter the stadium from the south side.
• We will not shake hands with students as the diplomas are given to students walking across the stage.
• All students will have to fill out the contact tracing form and information sheet about who their guests will be. This form is attached to (the) letter and can be filled out and returned at the graduation practice.
Jamie Taylor may be reached via email at [email protected].
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