Graduation ceremony protocol announced for graduating seniors in Carroll County

Gone is the pomp and circumstance of the traditional high school graduation ceremony for seniors in Carroll County.

Because of COVID-19, each student will have the option of participating in an individual styled ceremony that will 10 minutes.

THE COUNTRY ARE BEING REVAMPEDIF THEY'RE NOT BEING CANCELEDALL TOGETHER.

THIS OF COURSE━ ALL BECAUSE OF COVI━19.AS WMAR 2 NEWS' DAVE DETLINGREPORTS CARROLL COUNTY PUBLICSCHOOLS WILL HAVE ACELEBRATION━ BUT YOU'LLHAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TOATTEND.AN EXECUTIVE ORDER PROHIBITINGGATHERINGS OF 10 OR MOREPEOPLE PUTS THE BRAKES ON ANYTRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLGRADUATION.

THERE WILL BE THECAP AND GOWN━ AND A PICTURE━ BUT NO SITTING FOR LONGPERIODS OF TIME WAITING FORYOUR NAME TO BE CALLED.

FORGETTHE POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE ANDALL YOU'VE COME TO EXPECT FROMA TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLGRADUATION... FOR CARROLCOUNTY SENIORS THE PLAN ISBASIC━ ALMOST STERILE━BECAUSE OF THE COVI━19PANDEMIC.

THE NEW GAME PLANHAD SOME SCHOOL OFFICIALSEMOTIONAL DURING THE PLAN'SANNOUNCEMENT AT A VIRTUALBOARD MEETING WEDNESDAY.MARSHA HERBERT/ BOARD VICEPRESIDENT: It is a culminatiactivity and after 13 yearswow, this is tough.

I can'timage not having my child walkacross the stage and have allmy friends and family bethere.

I know we can't dothat.... DR. PATRICDORSEY/BOARD MEMBER: I wascertainly looking forward tobeing a part of the graduationas we had them last year andthe year before but again,we're not at that point.INSTEAD FAMILIES WILL BE ABLETO SCHEDULE A TIME TO COMESCHOOL WHERE THE SENIOR WILLWALK THE STAGE, GET THEIRDIPLOMA, TAKE A PHOTO ANDLEAVE.

RIGHT NOW SCHOOLS AREPREPPING TO MAKE THIS HAPPENSAFELY.

CINDY MCCABE/ CCPSCHIEF OF SCHOOLS: They will bable to bring four guest withthem and we will have theschool staffed so that thereare folks in the parking lot.The doors will all be opened,so no doors will need to betouched by students orfamilies and everything willbe staffed to make sure theprocess goes smoothly from onestudent and their families tothe next.

SCHOOLS ARE WORKITO MAKE A VIDEO OFF ALSTUDENTS PARTICIPATING.

IT'LLBE EDITED AND GIVEN TOSTUDENTS AS A KEEPSAKE.DESPITE THE GAME PLAN━THERE'S A PUSH BY SOME TO HOLDA CEREMONY OUTSIDE━ ONE THELOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTADVISES AGAINST.

CARROLLCOUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SAIDTHESE NEW GRADUATIONS WISTART JUNE FIRST AND LAST TWOTO THREE DAYS PER SCHOOL.

EACHFAMILY WILL ONLY BE ALLOWEDINSIDE FOR 10 MINUTES.

DAVEDETLING, WMAR 2 NEWS.Here's a look at what