Senior 2020

Fairless High School Graduation 2020 

Our administrative team has been paying attention to, and following the recommendations coming from the Governor, the State and local health departments, and our Stark County E.S.C. in the planning of the Class of 2020 graduation ceremony. We have been exploring ways to plan a graduation ceremony which recognizes our seniors by honoring them with the most thoughtful and deserving way possible with regard to the current restrictions in place. Based on the guidance from the Ohio Department of Health, we cannot have gatherings of more than ten people at a time. The safety of our students, families, and staff is central to our plan. Additionally, we want to ensure that no senior, their parents, family, or loved ones are compromised and forced to miss out on this occasion because of time constraints and other obligations. That is why we are choosing to go forward with a May graduation. 

The plan includes only the graduate and a maximum of four guests being present in the school for the in-person 

ceremony on Friday, May 15th and Saturday, May 16th. Storied Rivals, a first-rate production video company will put the finishing touches on a video product which will be aired Friday, May 22nd. The video will include footage of students receiving their diplomas and awards in the gymnasium, the shifting of their tassels, the tossing of their hats, and will include the traditional speeches by our outstanding graduates. Each family will be provided a copy of the video and the entire ceremony will be streamed live for our community on the Fairless Website. 

We recognize there is no substitute for the originally planned ceremony. However, we feel this is the best option to blend the in-person recognition with a video keepsake, while respecting and meeting the guidelines developed by leadership from the Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Department of Health and Governor DeWine. 

The sign-up process will accommodate up to five students and their guests in thirty minute time slots. All proper distancing protocols and in-place safety measures will be enforced, followed and directed by our staff. Please look for information on how to sign-up online. The graduates and parents must arrive together in the same vehicle during these allotted times only. Parking will be in the front 

parking lot, and the parents and their graduate will be directed when to enter into the school through the front entrance in order to maintain proper social distancing. 

After walking through to the stage to pick up their diplomas and awards situated just inside of the gymnasium, the graduate and parents will exit out the side door near the district office and walk to the front of the building. This entire event will be presented as a full graduation ceremony by the Falcon Media YouTube channel and Elementary Facebook page on May 22nd at 7:00 p.m. We will communicate further details on how to access the broadcast. 

We appreciate the difficulty with holding the ceremony in this way, following the mandated distancing requirements, and particularly noting how hard this is on our seniors. The COVID-19 Pandemic, statewide stay-at-home orders, and the closing of our schools, changed who and how we are, and how we operate. This has especially been the toughest on our seniors. Different perspectives and differing voices have been given serious consideration. We purposely waited to present this plan hoping the directives about the possibility of a traditional graduation ceremony would emerge. However, the directives remain in place. We are counting on our seniors, their families, 

and our community doing their part to ensure the success of this ceremony. We look forward to the time in the near future when we can resume the important interactions that we have grown accustomed to in our normal daily lives. 

2020 Seniors, you are special and we want and wish the best for you. You have made it to the first Finish Line in your journey, but certainly only the beginning of the rest of your life.