Medomak Valley High School has canceled its graduation parade, citing guidance from the Maine Attorney General’s Office to law enforcement across the state.
The parade from Warren Community School to Medomak Valley High School on Sunday, June 7 was going to replace the traditional baccalaureate ceremony.
MVHS Principal Linda Pease notified parents and students of the cancellation “with a great deal of sadness and disappointment” in an email Tuesday, June 2.
The school plans to move forward with a drive-in graduation ceremony in the student parking lot Wednesday, June 10.
“The challenges of this pandemic are certainly requiring extraordinary resilience from many, including our graduates, who are dealing with the loss of their traditional celebratory events,” Pease said in the email.
The email quoted guidance from the Maine Attorney General’s Office to law enforcement, issued Friday, May 29.
Precautions against the spread of COVID-19 “may be impossible to maintain when graduations involve vehicle parades, motorcades, processions, or fireworks displays that are intended to draw crowds of people together. … As such, these types of activities are strongly discouraged and could be out of compliance with COVID-19 policies,” the agency said.
The guidance means “law enforcement support for the parade is no longer possible,” Pease said. “Although extremely disappointing, the joint decision to cancel recognizes the importance of prioritizing the health and safety of our students, staff, and community members.”
