Over multiple days, Newtown High School Class of 2020 members walked across a stage set up in the school’s parking lot to receive their diplomas.

The graduation event accommodating COVID-19 protocols was held in place of the typical graduation ceremony, normally held at Western Connecticut State University’s O’Neill Center in the past.

This year the graduation process began on June 10 and went, with one day postponed due to rain, until June 13. A limited number of students and families were scheduled for each day.

Students arrived with family members in cars for designated times. As the cars pulled in to the high school parking lot, drivers were directed to park in specific places to allow space between cars. Students were then invited out to line up, also allowing space between the graduates, to announce their arrival then walk across the stage to pick up their diploma from a table.

As NHS Principal Dr Kimberly Longobucco began announcing names on June 10, parents were already standing in the specified spots to take photos of their graduates. Along with Dr Longobucco, Superintendent of Schools Dr Lorrie Rodrigue was also on stage and she clapped, cheered, and congratulated the graduates while directing them to pick up their diplomas and then pose for a picture as they moved the tassel on their mortarboard from the right to the left.

As outlined at a May 19 Board of Education meeting, the event to award diplomas was only part of this year’s graduation celebrations, which were all coordinated with Health District Director Donna Culbert, according to information shared at the meeting.

Student and staff graduation speeches were also recorded, and, as of June 16, the video was expected to be released for students on June 19. A senior car parade through town is scheduled for July 8. It was originally slated for June 15, but Dr Longobucco announced on June 9 that with the governor’s announced allowance of graduation activities after July 6, the event was moved to July 8, starting at 10 am.

“The rationale behind the date change is that we truly want this to be a town event that people can come outside and enjoy,” Dr Longobucco wrote in an announcement about the date change. “At this point, we would not be able to gather people to support you along the route. While I am disappointed we will not be able to have the parade in close proximity to our graduation date, I am extremely hopeful that this will give you something to look forward to in early July. As the date approaches we will send the route out to the whole town. We have purchased a car flag for each senior and encourage you to decorate your vehicles. Please know this was a very hard decision but I did not think you would want a parade with no people watching. You deserve all the fanfare, cheering, and excitement of a real parade, and I believe waiting until July 8 will give us that opportunity.”