Clark County R-1 Graduation Set For Sunday, May 17

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Clark County R-1 Graduation Set For Sunday, May 17

By Mike Scott

Clark County’s 2020 seniors will graduate in May after all.

After months of uncertainty brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clark County R-1 school board has made the decision to proceed with the Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 17, starting at 3:00pm.  The decision was made at a special meeting held Monday, May 4.

“We have talked to Evelena at the Health Department, and they recommended an outside ceremony,” said High School principal Jason Harper.

The graduation will be held at the Clark County High School Activity Field.  The commencement stage will be set up on field, and graduates will be seated on the track.

Each graduate will be allowed to have only six spectators attend the ceremony, and they will be seated in groups in the bleachers.

Those attending the ceremony will be escorted into the stadium, in complete groups only, by school staff.

“We’re going to have the class song played before the ceremony, and we are recommending no flower ceremony,” said Harper.  “We can’t allow them to intermingle with the crowd.”

CCR-1 Superintendent Ritchie Kracht said the ceremony will be a little different.  Students won’t be handed their diplomas or awards.  Instead, they will pick them up from the table.  Due to social distancing requirements, there will not be room for all the board members to be on the stage.

The students will move in procession to their seats on the track, however, the music will be recording instead of having the band play.

The senior video will play on the scoreboard.

At the end of the ceremony, family groups will be escorted out in groups to maintain social distancing.

In the event of rain, the graduation will be held Monday, May 18, at 7:00pm.

A Baccalaureate service will be held at the Activity Field on Wednesday, May 13, at 7:00pm

The next discussion involved Prom.

“I don’t see any way we can hold Prom and maintain social distancing,” said Kracht.

“Everything that is part of Prom goes against social distancing,” added Harper.

“It’s a bad deal,” said board member Craig Hunziker.

“Maybe we can have something later in the summer,” offered board member Kevin Ross.

In other business, the board discussed:

Grading-Letter grades will be given to students based on their grade when school ended abruptly.

Awards-Academic and sports awards will be posted online and provided to the newspapers.  An insert in the graduation program will list scholarships awarded.

Sports Letters-A discussion was held on how to award sports letters for a spring season that didn’t happen.  Mr. Church is discussing the issue with other Clarence Cannon Conference schools.

Summer Food Service-Summer Food Service can continue through the end of June.

Facilities-Remain locked down.  Custodians are working on the buildings.   Staff electronic keys are inactive.  A time for lock clean-out will be scheduled.  It was decided the no school facilities could be used for graduation parties.

In closed session, the board approved hiring:

Vickie Yovich – Black Hawk Counselor

Tara Mason – Indian Pride ECSE classroom teacher

Jamie Bash – Indian Pride K-5 SPED teacher

Danielle Boyd – Indian Pride 6-12 SPED teacher

Jesse Sommers – High School Math teacher & asst. girls basketball coach