THORNDIKE — Mount View High School, like all Maine high schools, will have a non-traditional graduation ceremony this year, a press release noted.

“One of our options is contingent on gathering restrictions mandated by the State of Maine,” the release stated.

With reopening plans for June tentatively slated to raise the maximum number of individuals gathered from 10 to 50, Mount View High School intends to hold graduation Sunday, June 14 by breaking the event into small groups of seniors receiving their diplomas. 

“The time of graduation and group time slots will be determined by the end of May, the release stated. “We are currently collecting data on how many graduates and guests plan to attend.  Once that data is collected, we can calculate how many groups there will be, and how long it will take to present the diplomas. There will be less than 50 people in the gymnasium for each group of graduates. This will include graduates, members of their household who reside in the same house, Mount View administrators, faculty, and staff.” 

Graduates, their guests, and Mount View faculty and staff will adhere to no-contact and social distancing guidelines while at the high school, the release noted, and seats for the graduates and their guests will be arranged so that at least six feet of social distancing can be maintained.

Any surfaces that come into contact with the graduates, or their guests, will be sanitized between groups, for instance chairs, door knobs, etc.

The graduates and their guests will be asked to leave the building and school grounds after everyone in their group has received their diplomas. They will also be required to practice social distancing while leaving the school grounds.

Each group will watch pre-recorded speeches from their Class President, Hannah Oliver; Valedictorian, Logan Wadick; and Salutatorian, Odin Gage.

Principal Zackary Freeman and Superintendent Charles Brown will speak briefly to each group before they receive their diplomas.

When the graduate’s name is called, he/she will walk up on the stage to receive the diploma.

Each graduate will pick up his/her diploma from a table, so there will be no contact between the graduates and administrators.

The administrators on the stage will maintain at least six feet of social distancing from the graduates and each other.  

The graduates will be recorded as they receive their diplomas.  All of these video clips will be spliced together, along with student and administrator speeches.  The video will then be made available to the graduates.

Mount View High School Senior Night

Mount View High School, after the completion of its graduation ceremonies, will be hosting Senior Night activities in the student and faculty parking lots of the Mount View Complex. This event will be held at 8:30 pm on June 14.

As of this time, drive-in events are allowed by the state of Maine and the CDC. If this were to change, the plans for these events would change accordingly, the release stated. 

Mount View High School will set up a projection screen on the practice football field in which we will show the graduation speeches in their totality, the end of the year awards (presented by the high school Leadership Team), the senior class slideshow (presented by the Senior Class parents), and an entire class recognition of graduation.

The expectations of this event are as follows:

• Each graduate will be allowed one car of immediate family members to attend.

• Once in the parking lot, faculty members will park students in an appropriate location. Cars will be aligned to allow for the maximum ability to see the screen and evening activities.

• Graduates and their guests are expected to stay within vehicles at all times except to use the restroom. This will be made available to students and families within the school building.

• Graduates and their guests are expected to follow appropriate hygiene and social distancing rules at all times.

• Once the evening events are complete, students are expected to leave the school grounds immediately. Unfortunately, there will be no opportunity for photos with other graduates.

Between June 6 and June 13, students who will be receiving recognition on this night will receive a package in the mail with all awards, scholarships, and senior accolades. Awards given on the night of June 14 will include scholarships, Students of the Year, Citizenship, Pro Merito, subject matter specific, and sports’ awards.

Mount View High School is still in the early stages of planning this event. When more details become available, they will be shared with the public.