We are pleased to announce that the Graduation Committee has designed a ceremony to celebrate this year’s Sanford High School graduates while adhering to current CDC, State of Maine and Department of Education COVID-19 restrictions. I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to our school administrators, senior class officers, senior class advisors, city officials, and Project Graduation members who worked together to create this memorable event.
A “drive-through” style graduation will take place at Sanford High School on Wednesday, June 10, 2020 starting at 4:00PM. The ceremony will be immediately followed at 7:00PM by the Spartan Graduate Motorcade, a procession of the SHS Class of 2020 traveling in vehicles on Main Street from SHS to Springvale. The motorcade will give the community and those unable to attend the ceremony an opportunity to applaud and acknowledge the Class of 2020 and their accomplishments.
HERE ARE THE DETAILS:
• The SHS campus will be closed to the public prior to and during graduation. Only graduates and their immediate family members will be allowed on campus and MUST remain in their vehicles until directed otherwise. Vehicles will be restricted by ticket to one vehicle per graduate, per household. As in the past, Sanford police will be on site to help with traffic and public safety. The traffic plan can be found here: Traffic Flow 2020
• Graduates, in their caps and gowns, will assemble in vehicles at the Graduate Queue Area (regularly the student parking lot) starting at 3:00PM. Please note that graduates must be passengers, not drivers.
• Following the live commencement speeches, graduates in their vehicles will be directed to proceed towards the stage area, as directed by SHS Faculty. When prompted, the graduate will exit his or her vehicle and line up to approach the stage, always distanced 6 feet from others. While the graduate walks across the stage and receives his or her diploma, the family vehicle may briefly stop in front of the stage (without exiting) to take photos or video of this special moment! For this reason, we recommend having a dedicated family photographer on the passenger side of your car. (Please note that photos of each graduate with diploma in hand will also be taken by Studio by the Pond and available for purchase.)
• After receiving his or her diploma, each graduate must return to the vehicle. Graduates may stay for the rest of the ceremony in their vehicles or they may leave the campus and return by 7 pm for the Spartan Graduate Motorcade.
• The entire ceremony will broadcast live on the radio at 4:00PM on 104.3 FM and 1220 AM the Legends. They will also provide the official soundtrack to the Spartan Graduate Motorcade starting at 7PM.
• WSSR-TV (Channel 25 in Sanford) will provide a live video stream and record the commencement ceremony via YouTube. The link for the video stream is not yet available. When it is, it will be e-mailed to graduates, posted on www.sanford.org, and shared on the Sanford School Department Facebook page and other community Facebook pages.
• The Spartan Graduate Motorcade will begin at 7 pm. Graduates are asked assemble in vehicles on Alumni Boulevard. The motorcade will proceed north on Main Street with graduates traveling at a leisurely 10-15 mph all the way into Springvale. The community is invited to space out along the Main Street route to cheer on the SHS Class of 2020!
• In the event of rain, graduation will be moved to Thursday, June 11, 2020 at 4:00PM.
• If any graduate does not have access to a car, we’ve got you covered! Please contact Principal Matt Peterman as soon as possible: e-mail mpetermann@sanford.org or call (207) 324-4050.
• Please be respectful of others. Only passenger vehicles will be permitted on campus during the ceremony. RV’s, trailers, buses, etc. cannot be accommodated. Families in attendance are also kindly asked to refrain from using vehicles with loud or excessive exhaust.