Virtual ceremony is June 19, diploma ceremony is June 20

By Ashley M. Casey

Associate Editor

For 13 years, the Class of 2020 has been preparing for the day they can walk across a stage, shake hands with a few of their school’s dignitaries, and finally receive the diploma they have worked so hard for.

That day will still come — likely minus the handshakes — but it will look a bit different from how students and families imagined it. Liverpool High School is planning a two-day commencement event to comply with the social distancing requirements mandated by New York state in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

A virtual commencement ceremony will be broadcast on CNY Central’s website and the CW6 channel at 6 p.m. Friday, June 19. The following day, a drive-thru diploma ceremony will take place at LHS.

“Following guidelines provided by Onondaga County Health Department, graduates and their family members will drive up to a stage at Liverpool High School at designated times. Graduates, dressed in their graduation caps and gowns, will have their name announced, walk the commencement stage, and will receive their diploma from school officials,” read a May 29 statement from the Liverpool Central School District.

“We’ve never done anything like this before,” LHS Principal Doug Lawrence told the Star-Review.

The virtual commencement will feature speeches from valedictorian Julia Commane, salutatorian and senior class president Kendall Jenkins, Superintendent Dr.  Mark Potter, Board of Education President Craig Dailey, as well as the student body president and district administrators.

“We joked with our students at least they aren’t speaking in front of 5,000 to 6,000 people like they would with the traditional ceremony,” Lawrence said.

Graduates will also see a congratulatory message from Sen. Chuck Schumer.

“We’re expecting a clip from Sen. Schumer,” Lawrence added. “His office reached out so that was very nice.”

A graduation ceremony is an elaborate production in a typical year, but the 2020 ceremonies pose a few new challenges. The virtual commencement that will be broadcast June 19 was set to be pre-recorded Monday, June 8. LHS broadcasting technology teacher Sean Brown will edit the video and send it to CNY Central for the finishing touches.

“We’re very lucky we have a great media broadcasting program here so we didn’t have to hire an outside person,” Lawrence said.

Maintaining social distancing to reduce the spread of coronavirus is the order of the day for the June 20 diploma ceremony, which has a rain date of June 21.

“Due to the governor’s order of 10 people or less … I think that’s frustrating for our families and for us,” Lawrence said.

In a typical year, Liverpool’s graduation ceremony would run about two hours.

“Doing it this way, we’re looking at a four-hour-plus ceremony,” Lawrence said.

The district considered postponing graduation until July or August but ultimately decided to move forward with a June commencement.

“That’s something we considered but we know a lot of our graduates will be leaving early as some will be joining the military,” Lawrence said. “The county hasn’t given us any indication as to whether they’d be easing up on social distancing regulations by then.”

Before the pandemic, Liverpool had planned on having its ceremony at the Expo Center at the NYS Fairgrounds. The Expo Center hosted the 2019 ceremony.

“We love the Expo Center,” Lawrence said. “We’re hoping to continue to use them in the future. It’s a great facility.”