Class of 2020 Graduation

July 23, 2020

Dear BHS Class of 2020 and Parents and Guardians,

The purpose of this communication is to provide you an update about our fast approaching Class of 2020 graduation ceremonies scheduled for Friday, July 31st. When I last communicated with all of you on July 6th, we were hopeful that Sauk County would be in Phase 3 which would have allowed us to gather in Beryl Newman Stadium with all of our graduates at the same time and conduct one traditional ceremony for them. Unfortunately, Sauk County Public Health Department has informed us that Sauk County will not be in Phase 3 by that date. Therefore, we will be moving ahead with our Plans for Phase 2 graduation ceremonies in 45 minute intervals beginning at 5:00 p.m. on July 31st which will satisfy the 50 person Phase 2 limit and still allow us to honor our graduates in a special way. As a reminder, please see Scenario 1 (outside weather permitting) and 2 (inside due to inclement weather) for the graduation ceremony details:

Scenario 1-- Phase 2 (and a clear weather forecast predicted for the evening of July 31st):

• We will conduct 6 separate abbreviated outdoor graduation ceremonies in Beryl Newman Stadium beginning at 5:00 p.m. A stage will be set up near the 50 yard line facing the west bleachers. Smaller groups of 40 or less graduates at a time will be provided the opportunity to walk across the stage together to receive their diplomas.
• No graduation practice will be needed for this scenario.
• Graduates will enter BHS at their designated time (see below) using the west doors (Entrance B1). Staff will help line up the graduates in alphabetical order and keep them socially distanced. Each group will have a processional onto the field at their designated time for the ceremony and be seated on Flambeau Field and socially distanced. We will have some brief remarks and music. Following the ceremony, the graduates will have a recessional leaving the field using the west gate.
• The following is the schedule for the individual graduation ceremonies:
• Group 1(Acevedo-Downing): Arrival by 4:30-4:45/Ceremony, 5:00-5:30
• Group 2 (Duran Garcia-Hinz): Arrival by 5:15-5:30/Ceremony, 5:45-6:15
• Group 3 (Hohl-Lohr): Arrival by 6:00-6:15/Ceremony, 6:30-7:00
• Group 4 (Lopez-Phelps): Arrival by 6:45-7:00/Ceremony, 7:15-7:45
• Group 5 (Pittman-Splinter): Arrival by 7:30-7:45/Ceremony, 8:00-8:30
• Group 6 (Stanley-Zolper): Arrival by 8:15-8:30/Ceremony, 8:45-9:15
• Each graduate will be allowed to bring 2 guests (such as 2 parents). This is in order to satisfy social distancing requirements in our stadium bleachers. Seating areas will be designated. Families may pick up tickets at Baraboo High School for the ceremony during summer office hours (7:15 a.m.-2:45 p.m.), Monday through Friday. After each ceremony, guests are asked to leave promptly through the east gate so the next group of guests can begin entering the stadium to be seated. Guests who are arriving for their graduate’s individual ceremony are asked to wait on Draper Street sidewalk while social distancing until the gates open for the next ceremony.

Scenario 2-- Phase 2 (and the weather forecast is predicting inclement weather and/or extreme temperatures for the evening of July 31st):

• We will conduct 6 separate abbreviated indoor graduation ceremonies in Melvin Huth Gymnasium beginning at 5:00 p.m. Smaller groups of 40 or less graduates at a time will be provided the opportunity to walk across the stage together to receive their diplomas.
• No graduation practice will be needed for this scenario.
• Graduates will enter BHS at their designated time (same groups as listed above in Scenario 1) using the West Doors doors (Entrance B1). Staff will help line up the graduates in alphabetical order and keep them socially distanced. Each group will have a processional into the gymnasium at their designated time for the ceremony and be seated on the floor and socially distanced. We will have some brief remarks and music. Following the ceremony, the graduates will have a recessional leaving the gymnasium through the southwest doors and asked to leave the building through the front doors.
• No guests will be permitted due to the fact that it would not be possible to allow guests and still satisfy social distancing requirements, unfortunately. However, 99.7 MAX FM will be video broadcasting the ceremony. Details about the video broadcast are included below.

We are strongly recommending the graduates and guests adhere to the following safety precautions:

• Graduates and guests are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings, and the Baraboo School District will provide face coverings for the graduates upon their arrival to the ceremony.
• We request that graduates and families do not congregate outside the building following the ceremony.

Furthermore, the following extra items will also be included in order to enhance the experience for the families and graduates:

• 99.7 Max FM will be video broadcasting the ceremonies. They will be using several cameras, and we anticipate the broadcast will be high quality. Family members, friends, and the community will be able to see the broadcast by tuning into antenna channel 43 and cable channels 10 or 982. There will also be a Live stream at facebook.com/997maxfm. A big thank you to Kory Hartman at 99.7 Max FM and Jon Baker of Baker Staging for helping to make this happen!
• The school district has gone the extra mile to create a high quality virtual graduation ceremony. We invite you to join us for the premiere of the Baraboo High School Virtual Graduation Ceremony video in honor of the BHS Class of 2020! The link for this video will go live at 12:00 P.M. on July 31st, 2020 and can be found on the District’s website at BarabooSchools.net/graduation2020. This link will also be posted on the District’s social media sites, including Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/OnwardBSD), Twitter (https://twitter.com/onwardbsd) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/onwardbsd/). We believe it will be a great keepsake for the students and families. A big thank you to Holly Henderson, Baraboo School District Director of Communications, and Mike Pullen, Baraboo School District Computer Technician, for making this happen!

A few other important reminders:

• Remember to pick up your graduation tickets in the main office at Baraboo High School, Monday through Friday, 7:15 A.M. - 2:45 P.M.
• If you reserved a tassel with Mrs. Borkenhagen, please remember to pick it up before Friday, July 31st. Tassels are $10.00 each.
• If you are not planning to participate in the ceremony, please call the BHS office at 608-355-3940. Also, if you are not participating, you can pick up your diploma in the office beginning August 3rd, Monday through Friday, 7:15 A.M. - 2:45 P.M.

The Class of 2020 has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the School District of Baraboo is looking forward to celebrating this important milestone with them and their family and friends! One final note: In order to pay a special tribute to our Class of 2020, we are planning a fireworks display in their honor immediately following the 8:45 P.M. ceremony on July 31st, weather permitting. Graduates in the final ceremony (Group 6) and their guests will be able to watch the fireworks from the stadium. Group 6’s Recessional will follow the fireworks. Graduates from the other groups may watch the fireworks display from their cars on Draper Street, from the high school parking lots, or from the parking lot at UW-Platteville/Baraboo Sauk County. If the graduates get out of their cars to view the fireworks, we ask that they wear face coverings and practice social distancing. Please feel free to contact me or Superintendent Dr. Lori Mueller if you have any questions. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Glenn Bildsten
Baraboo High School Principal