There is celebration-worthy news specifically for Newtown High School’s Class of 2021: Prom and graduation are being planned.

State safety guidelines will be followed, and the pandemic could change the district’s plans before June, as the Board of Education learned at its virtual March 16 meeting; but, for what could be called “the class that waited,” the wait may pay off. Newtown Middle School is also planning an eighth grade moving-up ceremony for its graduates.

Due to the pandemic, prom did not happen in 2020 and graduation ceremonies at both schools were held at the school buildings, rather than the typical venue of the Western Connecticut State University (WCSU) O’Neill Center. In 2020, the schools made the best of it by utilizing parking lots, distancing, and recognizing students individually.

They will make the best of it again, and this year, thanks to current community spread levels, there will be a bit more pomp reflecting the circumstances.

Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue said the state’s new guidelines will begin on March 19 and outline different parameters and events, like graduation, which will be limited to the number that can be accommodated safely at the location with masks, distancing, and a 50% capacity for outdoor events.

Both the NMS and NHS ceremonies are planned to be held outside.

NHS Principal Dr Kimberly Longobucco and NMS Principal Thomas Einhorn shared details on the expected events for their respective schools.

“We’re actually really excited to bring graduation back to Newtown High School and in the stadium; many of you know that it did occur there for quite a while, and there is something special for seniors to be graduating on campus, maybe not in the parking lot like last year, but maybe in a more formal situation,” said Dr Longobucco.

The high school’s event, based on the current state guidelines, will involve two ceremonies to accommodate the full graduating Class of 2021 and two guests per student. About 190 students will participate in each session. She added that having the class graduate all together would be possible if each student only brought one guest, and two guests per student was the preferred approach.

A Friday, 5 pm, June 11, graduation ceremony is planned for half the class and a Saturday, 2 pm, June 12, graduation ceremony is planned for the second half, with other plans in place for changing the dates if needed due to the weather. Thanks to the technology at the high school, the ceremonies are expected to be livestreamed.

“These will be true graduation ceremonies,” Dr Longobucco said, adding that student and faculty speakers will offer reflections, and musicians and singers will perform at both sessions.

The senior prom is planned for June 4 and will be held on the football field with a theme of “Night Under the Stars,” according to meeting discussion. Tents, lights, and food trucks are all part of the plan.

Wednesday, June 9, and Thursday, June 10, will have moving-up ceremonies, at 4 pm and at 6 pm both days, for one NMS cluster at a time, Einhorn shared. A stage will be set up near the back of the school, and the event is expected to be recorded to share afterward with family members who will not be able to attend.

If state pandemic rules and parameters change, the plans for NHS and NMS’s graduation events could change.

The school board members unanimously approved the graduation plans for both schools.

In other business, the board approved its monthly financial report for the month of February. According to the report, which was presented to the board by district Director of Business and Finance Tanja Vadas, “The overall projected year-end balance has been reduced by [negative] $33,364 with a new projection of [negative] $87,423,” but according to meeting discussion, other funding is anticipated to help offset the balance before the end of the fiscal year in June.

The school board also approved a new cybersecurity insurance policy at the meeting.