CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Flour Bluff ISD announced it will be hosting an outdoor graduation for the senior class of 2020. The school said it will be an in-person ceremony held at Hornet Stadium on Friday, June 5.
Each graduate can invite two guests to be in attendance. The school said the limited guest list will allow for the ceremony to proceed while following the social distancing protocols.
"The graduation ceremony will follow all the social distancing recommendations set by local, state and national authorities while celebrating our student’s achievements with a traditional graduation ceremony," officials said.
The ceremony will also be available via live stream on Flour Bluff ISD's Facebook page that day.
The date is set, but standby. Due to the pandemic, the school said it may be impacted by future national, state, and local requirements.
Stick with 3News for any updates.
This modified graduation plan is based on Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order No. GA-21 issued on May 5, 2020, and follows the guidance of the Texas Education Agency.
Under the governor’s orders, the state will allow hybrid graduation ceremonies. This would mean students could come in one at a time to collect their diplomas, have a short video and photos taken, and those videos and photos would be edited together to run at a virtual ceremony.
Vehicle ceremonies are also allowed under the governor’s plan, meaning schools could organize drive-in graduations or parades through designated street routes.
While outdoor in-person ceremonies are possible, social distancing measures must be in place, meaning graduates and family groups must be spaced at least six feet apart, with additional safety protocols.
Those outdoor ceremonies may take place in certain rural counties between May 15 and May 31, and in any Texas county on or after May 29.
Texas Commissioner of Education Mike Morath likened potential outdoor ceremonies to last month’s graduation at the Air Force Academy.
All ceremonies will have to be approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
“Education as an endeavor for high school students is something that they have spent 13 years of their lives on, with educators pouring love and skill into them over the course of their educational career,” said Morath. “It is important that we honor that achievement as they begin to make a transition to the next phase in life.”
Morath said the TEA will provide guidance to support the health and safety of participants.
For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.
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