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WATCH: New Brunswick students graduating from high school this year will be allowed to have at least some kind of grad ceremony amid pandemic. Shelley Steeves has more. – May 26, 2020
The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development has provided guidelines on Tuesday for graduation ceremonies to the anglophone and francophone school districts.
The guidelines outline rules for physical distancing and provide schools with suggested, but not mandatory, options for ceremonies.
According to the province, some of the options include in-person ceremonies that must have a group size of less than 50, and respect physical distancing.
The principal and the student are also recommended to wear a mask, but not required if physical distancing can be respected.
Moreover, the diploma should not be handed directly to the student and should be on a table instead to be taken by the student.
There is also an option for a drive-in vehicle ceremony where a large parking lot could be used to allow families to view the awarding of diplomas from their vehicles.
“Graduation from high school is an important milestone in the lives of young New Brunswickers and it deserves to be celebrated,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Dominic Cardy.
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“I encourage schools to be creative in their planning and look at this as an opportunity to try new ways of celebrating.”
The province said schools will be responsible for developing their individual graduation ceremony plans and submitting them to their respective districts for approval.
Ceremonies are anticipated to take place between June 15 and 19. The final day for home learning options will be June 12.
“I congratulate the graduating class of 2020 for their hard work over the course of their academic career, but also for their resiliency and compassion throughout this pandemic,” said Cardy. “I hope they continue to grow and pursue learning throughout their lives as they lead us into the future.”