Hempfield Area lays out preliminary graduation plans

Hempfield Area School District leaders are hopeful they will be able to hold one outdoor graduation ceremony this year after Gov. Tom Wolf raised occupancy limits this week.

Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said the change in occupancy limits — which increases capacity for indoor events to 15% of the maximum occupancy and outdoor events to 20% of the space’s maximum occupancy — should allow the district to hold one outdoor ceremony June 4.

Wolicki noted the district will plan a June 5 rain date to help avoid moving the ceremony indoors, which would result in multiple ceremonies to comply with mitigation orders. She added that, in the preliminary plans, school officials are looking at permitting two guests per graduate based on current spectator limitations.

“Certainly, graduation is several months away and it may get even better between now and that time, but we are moving forward with plans for graduation,” Wolicki said at Monday’s school board meeting.

Last year, local graduations were largely upended because of the covid-19 pandemic. At Hempfield, district leaders were forced to move the ceremony from May to July, and split it into multiple events to limit the number of people gathering for the ceremony.

The decision to split the ceremony into two events came after district leaders sent surveys giving students three options: hold graduation at Westmoreland Fairgrounds, have two ceremonies that limit the number of guests attending the event or hold a ceremony with only graduates in attendance.

While Hempfield held its ceremony at Spartan Stadium, other area districts chose nontraditional venues. Gateway School District hosted its ceremony in the parking lot of Monroeville Mall, while Riverview School District moved its ceremony to Riverside Drive-in Theatre in Parks Township.

Wolicki noted further information will be shared with families before the expected graduation date.