Meaker, Drumm to lead THS Class of 2020 Saturday
The Thorndale ISD Class of 2020 will move toward the future with commencement on Saturday, May 23, at the Thorndale baseball field.
Ron Meaker will lead the class as valedictorian, with Mason Drumm as salutatorian.
Thorndale ISD will hold its graduation ceremony on May 23 at the baseball field followed by a parade through town.
Graduation will take place on May 23 at 9 a.m. at the Thorndale ISD baseball field. This graduation ceremony is voluntary and no student or staff member is required to participate.
Vehicles may begin parking at 8:30 a.m. Each student will be allowed to have one vehicle come to the graduation. The student must come to the graduation in that vehicle with their family members.
All graduates will be provided with a school colored mask to wear during the ceremony. The mask must be worn from the time the graduate leaves their car until they return to their cars.
Ivy said the plan developed is a hybrid between a drive-in and an in-person so the district needed to have their attorney issue an opinion and get approval from the County Judge so that they could have the graduation on May 23 as planned. Additionally, the district needed to seek help and guidance from local police and fire department as well as the City of Thorndale.
Vehicles may only approach the field via Jenke Street from the west side of the field. All other entrances will be closed.
The student will get out of the vehicle and will enter the field and go directly to their seat. The family members will drive to their parking spot on the perimeter of the field and park. Parking spots will be clearly marked and assigned ahead of time.
The ticket will be provided to the student when they come to drop off Chromebooks, uniforms, etc. on May 15.
This ticket will also contain additional information about health concerns and under what conditions a person should not come to the graduation. Family members must stay with their vehicle in their parking space. They may stay in the car or sit in chairs in front of their vehicle but should stay in their assigned space.
The spaces will be wider than normal parking spaces to allow for proper social distancing. Any car, truck or SUV is allowable and the number of passengers will be up to each family. No trailers, limousines, party buses or RVs will be allowed.
TISD Board President David Hall has agreed to broadcast the ceremony on Facebook Live from the Thorndale ISD Facebook page. He will start broadcasting around 8:30 a.m. and will go all the way through the graduation. This will allow people other than the family members in attendance to watch the ceremony.
Once the ceremony begins the students will stay in their seats on the field until their name is called at which time they will make their way to the stage to get their diploma. The diploma will be placed on a table for them to pick up and they will have their picture taken. They will then continue back to their seats for the remainder of the ceremony.
Once the ceremony is over the students will stay in their assigned seats until they are dismissed one at a time to meet their family vehicle at the gate.
Each family vehicle will then proceed around the road towards the softball field and line up for the parade through town.
The Thorndale Volunteer fire department and Police department will lead the parade through town where we will ask people to sit out in their yard to cheer for the seniors as they go by.
A few instructions from Chief Birchard:
• Please don’t throw anything from your cars during the parade.
• Don’t go any faster than the parade leader
• Your safety in your vehicle is your responsibility- we will be going slow but if you are sitting in the back of a convertible or standing in a jeep, etc.. you are responsible for your own safety. The school, police department, fire department or city of Thorndale are not liable.
If the ceremony is rained out on May 23 we are not allowed to move indoors so the district will plan to have the graduation ceremony on May 24 at 8 a.m. to allow for people to still attend church services. If both days are rained out we will have it on Monday, May 25 at 9 a.m.
David Hall has agreed to broadcast the ceremony on Facebook Live from the Thorndale ISD Facebook page. He will start broadcasting around 8:30 a.m. and will go all the way through the graduation. This will allow people other than the family members in attendance to watch the ceremony.