Last summer’s graduation ceremony at the football stadium, forced outdoors because of the coronavirus pandemic, worked so well that administrators want to do it that way again.
Iola High School Principal Scott Carson said he wants to plan for another outdoor graduation in May. If weather doesn’t cooperate, it will be moved into the IHS gym, where it traditionally has taken place.
Carson said he surveyed this year’s senior class to see if they preferred the outdoor event or indoors, and they were about evenly split.
However, he prefers to plan for an outdoor graduation because of the unknown factors of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s likely the virus will still be circulating next spring.
The outdoor graduation allowed for social distancing. Students sat in the bleachers and families spread out over the football field to watch the ceremony.
The board also agreed to have only one graduation. In the past, the district had separate ceremonies for IHS graduates and those who completed the Crossroads alternative learning program.
The school has now folded Crossroads into IHS in an attempt to bring all students together as one family, Carson said. It makes sense to combine the graduation, as well.
