High school students graduating from the Morgan Hill Unified School District Class of 2021 will be able to walk in live graduation ceremonies late this spring, as long as the region’s Covid-19 case rates don’t spike before then.
School district staff and community members are planning other activities to honor the graduating high school class, including the installation of banners depicting graduates’ photos and names throughout downtown Morgan Hill.
Faculty at Live Oak and Sobrato high schools are planning to break up their graduating classes into at least two ceremonies each, in an effort to keep audience sizes down and in compliance with public health guidelines on outdoor gatherings.
Live Oak Principal Tanya Calabretta said at the March 30 MHUSD board of education meeting that graduating students will be able to sign up for which ceremony they want to walk in. The ceremonies for both high schools will include video recorded speeches, with an in-person conferring of diplomas.
Central High School is expected to have a similar graduation ceremony.
Dates and times for the graduation ceremonies have not been finalized, but they typically take place in early June. The Class of 2020 did not get to participate in live graduation ceremonies due to much stricter limits at the time on public gatherings.
Current guidelines limit attendance at outdoor events to 450 people or fewer, with accommodations for social distancing.
Calabretta added that the schools will aim to live stream the graduation ceremonies for the high schools, as well as the district’s adult education class.
Also this spring, MHUSD staff are planning to work with community volunteers to create and install banners depicting each Class of 2021 graduate on light poles on Monterey Road in downtown Morgan Hill. This effort will be similar to the banners that honored Class of 2020 graduates from Live Oak, Sobrato, Central and Oakwood high schools. The effort was a collaboration among City Council members Larry Carr and John McKay, the Rotary Club of Morgan Hill, Kiwanis Club and local businesses.
MHUSD staff are planning additional end-of-year activities for the 2021 graduates, according to discussion at the March 30 board meeting. More details will be available in the coming weeks.
