School districts plan virtual graduations
Lakeside and Lake Hamilton have announced plans to hold virtual graduations for their seniors.
Lake Hamilton will partner with Herff-Jones to produce a virtual commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020, the district said in a statement released Thursday by Brian Bridges, communications and public relations coordinator.
If the state and national guidelines on
COVID-19 are lifted as far as large gatherings, then the school will hold an on-campus senior celebration in late June or during July, the statement said.
“While a virtual graduation is never a first choice under normal circumstances, we feel that this option is the best at this time. Seniors will be contacted in the near future with direction on how the collection of information will proceed,” it said.
Lakeside Superintendent Shawn Cook and Darin Landry, Lakeside High School principal, held a Zoom conference on April 8 with the seniors regarding plans concerning their graduation ceremony, according to information posted on Lakeside’s Facebook page.
The virtual graduation will be held Sunday, May 17, at 4 p.m., and the traditional graduation will tentatively be held Sunday, July 26, at 4 p.m. at Bank OZK Arena depending on its schedule, the post said.
Lakeside’s virtual graduation will be on Facebook and YouTube Live. The Lake Hamilton virtual graduation will be at https://lhsd. info/ Her ff Jones Virtual Graduation.
If state and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prohibitions have not been removed by July, the Lakeside School District will reschedule the traditional graduation ceremony during Christmas break in December of the
2020-2021 school year, the post said.
Lake Hamilton started its celebration of seniors with a sign parade during the drivethrough graduation supply pickup on April 7. The district will continue celebrating each day with a “Senior Social Media Spotlight,” according to the district’s statement.
Five to 10 seniors will be spotlighted each day on the district’s Facebook and Instagram
accounts. Seniors are to submit their information at https:// lhsd.info/SeniorSpotlight, the statement said.
Seniors are also welcome to participate in the annual “Letters of Gratitude” presentation, which are usually delivered in person and will be done virtually this year. Seniors are asked to choose one teacher or staff member who made an impact on them during their time at Lake Hamilton. There is an option to include a short 30-second or less video to the person.
“This person could be a teacher, coach, food service employee, custodian, secretary, bus driver, etc. Please type a letter and tell them what they did and how they changed you and made you who you are today,” the statement said.
The seniors can submit their letters and videos at https:// lhsd. info/ Letters Of Gratitude.
Lake Hamilton seniors who are receiving scholarship money to play college sports next year can register for an athletic signing at https://lhsd.info/ Athletic Signing Registration. The deadline to register for athletic signing is Monday, April 27.