Hempfield Area leaders call for social distancing during homecoming parade

Hempfield Area leaders are calling for social distancing measures to be maintained at tonight’s homecoming parade.

The parade is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. at the Word of Life Church along Route 136 and will travel down the road, ending at Hempfield Area High School. Spectators who line the road to watch the event are asked to space out to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“Anyone choosing to view the parade along Route 136 is asked to practice social distancing,” a post on the district’s website reads.

When the event ends at the high school, the number of people will be limited to those with tickets for the football game, Superintendent Tammy Wolicki said last week.

Alternative plans were discussed at last week’s school board meeting in case the number of covid cases spiked prior to the event.

High school Principal Kathy Charlton listed a number of alternatives — including having the parade around the high school for ticket holders, or having the marching band perform on the field prior to the football game and march out after their performance.

In that option, the homecoming court would be introduced prior to the game, and would leave after their introduction.

Pieces were in place to execute any of the options, Charlton said, noting that school leaders were hoping to provide as normal a homecoming as possible.

While the parade and football game will go on as normal, there will not be a homecoming dance.

“The word balance really comes into play whenever we’re looking at how much can we engage in what we would in a typical year and balancing that with student safety and staff safety,” Wolicki said during last week’s meeting.