Thursday, March 28, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Thursday, February 25, 2021
HIDOE Allows In-person School Graduation Ceremonies
By News Release @ 11:06 PM :: 2664 Views :: Education K-12, COVID-19

HIDOE allows for limited, in-person school commencement events

News Release from Hawaii DoE, 25-Feb-2021

The Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) today released guidelines to allow for limited, in-person school commencement and transition ceremonies that ensure the health and safety of students, staff and families.

The Department announced on Jan. 11 the cancellation of all large, in-person social gatherings for the remainder of the school year. Commencement ceremonies were excluded from that announcement while the Department collaborated with partner agencies, Gov. David Ige’s office, county mayors and schools on safe and viable in-person and virtual options to honor and celebrate the graduating class of 2021.

“Our school leaders have shown they are able to implement and enforce the protocols that have kept our staff and students safe. While we cannot prevent exposure to COVID-19, the Department has systems in place to immediately address cases and has avoided transmission of the virus at HIDOE facilities to date,” Superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto said. 

“While the allowable modified ceremonies will not look like pre-pandemic celebrations, they will allow additional flexibility for our schools beyond virtual options in bringing our graduates together for this momentous occasion.”

In addition to standard school health and safety protocols, commencement events must adhere to guidelines that include:

  • The ceremony must be held outdoors or in a venue with adequate ventilation. Third-party venues are allowed.
  • Graduates will be allowed to bring a maximum of two members from their household. No additional guests will be allowed. Schools also have the authority to reduce this number based on venue restrictions and ceremony formats. 
  • Larger schools that may experience difficulties in hosting a safe, in-person ceremony are encouraged to consider alternative options such as a blend of in-person and virtual ceremonies, staggered drive-through ceremonies, or drive-in formats. 

The full list of guidelines can be viewed here.

“Mahalo to our school leaders, students and staff who have been working tirelessly to plan creative and innovative ways to make the commencement ceremonies for our 2021 graduates special,” Kishimoto added. “This has truly been a unique school year and I look forward to safely celebrating our graduates on this significant milestone.”

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

808 Silent Majority

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federalist Society

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Homeschool Association

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Smokers Alliance

Hawaii State Data Lab

Hawaii Together

HIEC.Coop

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Moms for Liberty

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

Investigative Project on Terrorism

July 4 in Hawaii

Kakaako Cares

Keep Hawaii's Heroes

Land and Power in Hawaii

Legislative Committee Analysis Tool

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

Malama Pregnancy Center of Maui

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Military Home Educators' Network Oahu

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Christian Foundation Hawaii

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

No GMO Means No Aloha

Not Dead Yet, Hawaii

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Oahu Alternative Transport

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

OurFutureHawaii.com

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

PEACE Hawaii

People vs Machine

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

P.U.E.O.

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

ReRoute the Rail

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

Robotics Organizing Committee

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Sink the Jones Act

Statehood for Guam

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

UCC Truths

US Tax Foundation Hawaii Info

VAREP Honolulu

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii

Yes2TMT