Waltham Amends High School Graduation Ceremony For Coronavirus

WALTHAM, MA —Like every other school in the state, Waltham High School has been closed since the coronavirus pandemic began in March. In an effort to help seniors mark the end of four years in high school without spreading the virus, officials came up with an amended graduation for this year’s class of 380 graduates.

Unlike other schools such as Wellesley and Brookline that hosted drive-thru graduations, this one will resemble previous graduations - with distancing, masks and gloves.

Also unlike in normal years, graduates will only be permitted to have two guests attend, and the district will require anyone attending wear mask - and gloves - at all times, in an effort to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The entrances of the field will be open at 5:30 p.m. and hand sanitizer will be available for people when they come in and when they leave. Attendees will be seated 6 feet away from graduates and staff members will be seated in the stands.

High School graduation is set to take place at 6 p.m. Friday, July 24 at Leary Field.

If it rains, the ceremony may get bumped to Saturday, July 25 or Sunday, July 26. But if it rains that weekend, the whole thing will be moved online with a virtual ceremony the week of Aug. 10.

There's also a provision for families to have a personal ceremony by appointment on Tuesday, July 21 and Wednesday, July 22, if the in-person socially distant ceremony doesn't work for them.

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a press release you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how to post a press release, a column, event or opinion piece.