Wilton High School Class of 2020: Important Graduation Weekend Updates

Exciting Graduation Ceremony Update for WHS Class of 2020!

Today, Wilton High School Principal Robert William O’Donnell, Ed.D. and Senior Class Principal Donald R. Schels share important updates to this weekend's graduation festivities celebrating the Class of 2020. 

Students may get out of their cars to receive diplomas

As the big day for graduation is approaching, we have an important update for our seniors.  There is some very good news in that last Friday, Governor Lamont lightened the restrictions on drive-in graduation ceremonies to allow students to exit their cars to receive their diplomas (in our event, the diploma covers).  The Governor’s language follows:  

Safety Rules for Drive-in Graduations. Drive-in graduation ceremonies at which all attendees remain in vehicles except for graduates briefly leaving vehicles to receive diplomas may be held with no limitations on capacity if either: (a) vehicle windows remain closed or (b) vehicles remain at least six feet apart and all attendees wear masks or cloth face coverings. The Commissioner of Education may issue mandatory guidance for the safe conduct of such ceremonies.

Therefore, we are excited to build this into our plan at the end of the car procession for our graduates.  The plan will remain as previously published (click here to view), but at the end of the procession we will have two stages set up, one directly in front of the main entrance to the high school and one in front of the Clune Center for the Arts.  Your family’s car will be naturally assigned to one of these stages, based upon the lane in which you are directed, once turning onto Kristine Lilly Way.

Both stages and areas will be suitably and comparably decorated with Warrior Pride, pomp and circumstance, with a speaker system to announce student names.  Students will enjoy the opportunity to exit the car, cross the stage, have their name read as they cross the stage, receive their diploma cover from an administrator, have a professional photograph taken, receive a gift from the PTSA as well as another surprise gift, then return directly to their car so that the procession may continue in an expeditious manner for all involved.  In adherence to the guidelines, students should wear masks when exiting the car, crossing the stage, getting their diploma and gift, and returning to their car.  Students can briefly remove the mask for the professional photo.  Administrators handing out diplomas will wear masks and gloves.  We will all share responsibility to ensure appropriate social distancing between graduates.  

Steps for Students at the Graduation Stages:

1. Present your photo card to the student name reader

2. Receive your diploma cover from the administrator

3. Pose briefly for your photo

4. Take your gifts as you leave the stage

5. Return directly to your car

All participants and attendees should recognize that this will, of course, extend the length of the event since each student will be exiting the car, but this part of the program will be important to the graduates who will now have the opportunity to cross a stage at their school.  Having two stages will expedite the process as much as possible.  Perhaps stating the obvious, all families should ensure that vehicles have ample gas and are in great running order.   

Spectators

We are encouraging a large turnout of students, families, and community members along the entire procession route to cheer on and support this outstanding Wilton High School Graduating Class of 2020!!  However, we have the clear expectation that health and safety should be the number one priority and that all spectators should remain at an appropriate social distance.

Spectators are encouraged to park in either the Wilton Train Station parking lot or Comstock Community Center.  If you choose to park at an alternate location please be mindful of the local businesses and their need to have patrons utilize their parking spaces. We are also asking spectators to refrain from parking on the side of the road on the procession route in an effort to reduce road congestion. 

Parking on School Road near the tennis courts is not encouraged as it will be difficult for vehicles to leave until the conclusion of the procession and graduation ceremony.  Spectators may line the sidewalk on Danbury Road near Ridgefield Road, the sidewalk on School Road or the sidewalk on Kristine Lilly Way while maintaining social distance and remembering to wear face masks if within six feet of others.  No spectators are to enter any part of the travel portion of the road during the procession.  

In order to abide by guidelines and to ensure the procession’s progress, we appreciate spectators respectfully not approaching school property near the stages where students will receive their diploma covers, other than families in their cars.

Car Staging Update

At the request of the Wilton Police Department and Wilton CERT, we request that all families arrive at their assigned staging area starting at 11:45am and before 12:30 on June 13. Previously, we had published that the staging window would end at 12:45.  This change is to ensure that the procession departs on time.  It is essential that all cars have arrived by 12:30pm. We cannot have late vehicles entering the staging areas when the procession is leaving.  All members of our Wilton Warrior community have a mutual responsibility to each other to be punctual.  Please be sure you know your assigned lot:

• Last names A-F will stage in Allen’s Meadow Lot 1 (the lot closest to Route 7)

• Last names G-S will stage in Allen’s Meadow Lot 2 (the lot in the back of Allen’s Meadow)

• Last names T-Z will stage in the WHS senior lot. 

Again, you will only need to arrive on time and follow the directions of the administration and Wilton CERT.  Click here to view an aerial map of the staging areas. 

Exiting Cars and Portable Restrooms

We have a clear expectation that all attendees remain in their cars during the staging process, but we will have portable restrooms on site in the event that anyone needs them.  There will also be some located on Lilly Way.

Current Weather Forecast

Saturday’s current weather forecast calls for temperatures in the mid to upper 70’s with mostly sunny skies.  We will monitor the forecast over the next couple of days and Dr. O'Donnell will apprise the school community of any change before 9:00am on Saturday via the school website.  As it will be relatively hot and the procession will involve 300 graduates, we recommend that families ensure that they have some water and snacks in each vehicle to remain hydrated and healthy.  

Persons with any Physical Limitations

It is paramount that our entire Class of 2020 and their families are able to comfortably participate in the graduation festivities. Firstly, please alert Senior Class Principal Don Schels at schelsd@wiltonps.org about any family members who have physical limitations that would require them to be toward the front of the car procession.  Secondly, now that we have students crossing a small stage please know that the stage is slightly elevated and any student who may have a current physical limitation (i.e. crutches) should also alert Mr. Schels so that we can make appropriate accommodations.  

Professional Photo Ops at WHS June 16 and 17

On Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17 students and families will have the opportunity to come to campus and have a professional graduation photo taken in their cap and gown with their families.  The professional photographers will be on campus taking photos in front of the high school with a celebratory graduation background on Tuesday, June 16 and Wednesday, June 17 from 10 AM to 2 PM.   Time slots are in 10 minute increments.  Please click here to access the sign-up sheet.  (If there is an overwhelming demand for these photos, the photography company will add additional time slots).

Students and families can also reserve Lilly Field for larger family and group photos after June 20 through the Parks and Recreation website. Click here to access their sign-up system (click on Rentals). 

Virtual Ceremony and Livestream

Wilton Educational TV, the student-run district-wide studio program that produces BOE meetings, sports games, and several other events, will be broadcasting live all graduation events on June 13.  There are two events that everyone will be able to watch beginning at 10 a.m. on June 13:

1) The virtual ceremony is a pre-recorded ceremony featuring speeches and musical performances, just like a traditional WHS graduation ceremony.  

2) A livestream of the procession will also be available to view and is going to include several live camera feeds. These include a few at the high school campus, one at Kristine Lilly Way, one at Cider Mill, and one at Middlebrook.  Additionally, there will be live conversational coverage of the procession by our 2020-21 Morning Warrior hosts, Ryan Siegel and Kat Corrigan.

Both events will take place on the Wilton Educational TV YouTube channel beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday.  Here is the YouTube link for the live stream: https://youtu.be/ml7_XWhkoOQ.  Please make sure to click "set reminder," that way you are notified when the stream goes live.  Both the virtual ceremony and procession will take place on the same live stream link.  The broadcast will also take place on local Cablevision channel 78, also beginning at 10 a.m.

Final Checklist for Students and Families

• Get fired up for the Class of 2020

• Decorate your cars

• Arrive at your staging area between 11:45 and 12:30

• Wear your caps and gowns

• Bring your photo card

• Ensure that your car placard is prominently displayed in your car windshield

• Bring water and snacks to remain nourished and hydrated

• Enjoy the procession

• Celebrate with your families

As our final preparations for this event honoring our graduates are now in place, let's all extend our appreciation to our graduation committee members for organizing this extraordinary event:

students Madeline Pennino, Andrew Smith, Dineth Karunamuni, Hunter Driscoll, Jacob Arnowitz, Josh Darkwah, Patrick Burke, Rishabh Raniwala, Rohit Singhal, and Sean Purdy; parents Lorien Saumier, Marly LeBeau, Janet Nobles, and Stacy Crameri; and staff members Dan Pompa, Cesar Jimenez, Kathleen Kessler, Kristina Harvey, Kristina Sluzewski, Nicholas Loafman, Jean Brey, Jose Figueroa, Donald Schels, and Robert O’Donnell.  We also want to thank First Selectwoman Lynne Vanderslice, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Kevin Smith, Board of Education Chair Deborah Low, Chief of Police John Lynch, Lieutenant David Hartman, Wilton CERT, our Custodial Team, our Videography Team, the Wilton High School Music Department, and all of our parent volunteers helping set up the procession decor and take it down.  We also extend special appreciation to the entire PTSA and all of the PGP parent volunteers who assisted with cap and gown deliveries. 

We celebrate the Wilton High School Graduating Class of 2020!