COVID concerns change graduation plans in this Midlands school district
High school seniors in Lexington-Richland 5 will hold their graduation ceremonies in different locations this year, after the school district announced a change of plans due to concerns about COVID-19.
Graduations planned for Colonial Life Arena will instead take place in school venues, the district announced on Thursday. The district cited uncertainty around what restrictions might be in place for an indoor venue like the college basketball arena when students graduate in June.
Instead, seniors will pick up their diplomas in outdoor ceremonies at the district’s three football stadiums.
“Moving these ceremonies back to school sites allows us to make definitive plans and move forward with preparations, rather than wait on changing restrictions for venues,” said Superintendent Christina Melton in a news release.
The revised graduation dates and locations, subject to weather conditions, are:
▪ Irmo High School seniors, 8 a.m. Friday, June 18, at Irmo High School Stadium
▪ Spring Hill High School seniors, 7 p.m. Friday, June 18, at Irmo High School Stadium
▪ Chapin High School seniors, 8 a.m. Saturday, June 19, at Chapin High School Stadium
▪ Dutch Fork High School seniors, 7 p.m. Saturday, June 19, at Dutch Fork High School Stadium.
Students will likely be able to welcome more guests at the stadiums while keeping within public health guidelines. The district said each graduating senior can have up to four guests at the ceremony, where social distancing requirements and mask-wearing will be enforced.
Current plans are similar to how Lexington-Richland 5 conducted its graduations last year, after the COVID-19 pandemic initially shut down in-person classes for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year.
Lexington 2 will also hold on-campus graduation ceremonies, the school district announced Thursday. Airport High School seniors will graduate in Eagle Stadium at 8 a.m. Thursday, June 17. Brookland-Cayce High School will follow in Bearcat Stadium at 8 a.m. Friday, June 18.
This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 3:33 PM.
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