From Dr. William A. Watson, Superintendent of Schools
Completion of eighth grade in a Catholic elementary school is an important milestone in the life of a student and his or her family. Most of your schools have well-known traditions associated with the end of eighth grade that are anticipated with excitement by students and parents alike. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the strong desire of our students and their families to celebrate the important
milestones that accompany the end of eighth grade, particularly graduation, must be balanced with the stay-at-home order and social distancing directives currently in effect.
Background
NJ Executive Order 107 makes clear that “gatherings of individuals, such as parties, celebrations, or other social events, are cancelled” as long as the order remains in effect. NJ Administrative Order 2020- 04 clarified that any gathering must be of 10 people or fewer, and those gatherings should only be for reasons approved in Executive Order 107. Further, all public and nonpublic schools in New Jersey received a direction from the NJ Department of Education and a letter from the State Director of Emergency Management indicating that “virtual graduation ceremonies should take the place of any inperson or public ceremonies.” There has been no indication of when these orders may be lifted or of the restrictions on gatherings that will apply when they are. The current trends are such that it appears unlikely that restrictions will be sufficiently lifted by the scheduled graduation dates for elementary schools in the diocese, which makes a traditional graduation ceremony on the scheduled dates equally unlikely. At the same time, we remain committed to honoring the scheduled graduation dates so that students can have the certainty of knowing that they have graduated from eighth grade with finality.
Approach to Graduation for the Class of 2020
Given these realities and the unpredictability of the status of gatherings in the future, this year:
- Graduation ceremonies will be conducted virtually. Each elementary school will mark and celebrate the completion of eighth grade with virtual a graduation and/or Mass on the date(s) scheduled. Virtually celebrated ceremonies will follow the standard format that the schooltypically uses. This will bring finality that marks the unambiguous end of elementary school for the students. Each school will decide whether to livestream or pre-record its virtual proceeding(s) and the best platform(s) for delivery.
Additional celebration of the Class of 2020 may be conducted when circumstances permit it. If a school would like to conduct an additional celebration, it should develop a plan and submit it to the Office of Catholic Schools not less than two weeks prior and before any announcement or invitation is extended.Please note that conducting graduation virtually, in accordance with the current directives for all schools in NJ, means no in-person reception of the diplomas at school or church and no drive-in, drive-through,or drive-by activities. I recognize that all those who have supported and served the graduates and their families would very much like to celebrate this important milestone by offering the in-person touch that helps to mark graduations as special and definitive. However, we all remain bound to leave our homes only for the specific purposes outlined in Executive Order 107, and to gather only in groups of 10 or less when those gatherings are essential,. We are also bound by our civic and moral obligation to ensure the safety and health of our graduates, their families, and our school and home communities.
Additional End of Year Considerations
In addition to the guidance on graduations provided above, please consider the following when planning your end of year activities:
- The last day of classes for eighth grade students will be as scheduled on the school calendar. The last day of class will be delivered virtually, as in-person classes have been suspended for the rest of the school year. Each school should arrange a way to commemorate the last day of classes with its eighth graders in as personal a way as possible.
- Each school should arrange for eighth grade students to come to school in small groups to gather any personal belongings and pick up their caps and gowns before the virtual graduation ceremony. Please note that emptying the school building at the end of the academic year is an essential educational activity, which is allowed under the directives we are following. Consistent with those directives, groups should be scheduled such that any gathering is brief, does not exceed 10 people at a time, and adheres to appropriate social distancing protocols. The parking area, entrance, exit and hallways need to be monitored so that students do not congregate on the school campus in any way.
I realize that these developments may be deeply disappointing to some graduating eighth grade students and their families. I encourage you to accompany them by personalizing your traditions as creatively as you can within these guidelines. I appreciate your efforts to create the new experience of virtual graduation that will allow us to definitively celebrate the successes of the Class of 2020 and their new beginnings. Your efforts will also provide a model as you invite them to continue to act for the common good with solidarity by prioritizing the health and safety of their school and home communities. Please continue your prayers for the health of our students – especially our graduating eighth graders as they look forward to high school – their families, our teachers, administrators, and staff members, and for all people as together we face the effects of this worldwide pandemic now and in the future.