DOH Graduation and Commencement Ceremony Guidelines

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has posted Graduation and Commencement Ceremony guidelines for K–12 education:

• Virtual (recorded or livestreamed) or drive-through ceremonies remain the safest way to celebrate, especially for families who have individuals at high risk for COVID-19.

• Decisions to host graduation and commencement ceremonies remain at the discretion of local school district leaders, as long as they do not conflict with Governor Inslee’s prohibitions outlined in the Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery Plan.

• Districts must follow Governor Inslee’s Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery guidance for miscellaneous venues and outdoor spectator events when planning for in-person graduation, commencement, or moving up ceremonies.

• In addition to mask and physical distancing requirements, capacity restrictions are determined based on the phase of the county where the school is located.

• Students who are graduating or moving up do not count toward the capacity restrictions.

• K-12 schools should consider multiple, smaller events that do not overlap if capacity requirements are a limiting factor.

The following ceremonies are included in this guidance: graduations, commencements, moving up ceremonies, kindergarten roundups, and substantially similar activities.

You can find more information of the DOH website.

WSIPC is a non-profit public agency that provides technology solutions (including Skyward SMS 2.0 and Qmlativ), services, and support to K-12 schools. WSIPC’s purpose is to help schools do more with every dollar and to empower them with the tools to work smarter. To learn how your district can become part of the WSIPC Cooperative, contact us at info@wsipc.org or 425.349.6600.

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