Greenville County Schools Graduations Begin This Week

Beginning this week, Greenville County Schools will hold in-person graduation ceremonies at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville.

“We are extremely pleased to expand our partnership with Bon Secours in order to provide our 2020 graduates with the traditional graduation ceremony they have earned and so richly deserve,” said Superintendent Burke Royster in a news release.  “I am grateful for the input we received from this year’s seniors and their parents, and for the ongoing dialogue with the Interhigh Council that enabled us to identify and respond to the graduates’ most pressing priorities. Finding a way to celebrate their accomplishments in-person and in the company of their most honored guests, despite the necessary restrictions that are in place as the result of this pandemic, has been a focus of our work over the past few weeks.”

Ceremonies will begin on May 27 up to Jun 4, 2020, excluding Sunday, May 31 and it will take place at 9 a.m and 5 p.m. 

In the observance of the Covid-19 guidelines each graduate will only be allowed a maximum of two guests and all attendees are subject to social distancing. All safeguards will be utilized to ensure that possible Covid-19 spread will be minimized.

GCS also added that these measures will be in effect for this year’s graduations:

• Precautions will be taken to observe social distancing, personal protective equipment will be worn, and the venue will be disinfected and sanitized before/after each ceremony.
• GCS will provide gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer for all graduates and school personnel that are assisting with graduation. Students will be required to wear protective equipment until they are seated.
• Each ceremony will be live-streamed and recorded for the convenience of those who cannot be in attendance.
• Each guest will have an assigned seat. Guest seats for each graduate will be paired together with an appropriate distance from other occupied seats.
• Seating priority will be based on random/lottery selection.
• To maximize floor space and minimize ceremony time and potential exposure, bands and choruses will not perform.
• All participants and guests must wear masks and undergo temperature screening in order to participate.  Those with a temperature at or above 100.4 degrees will not be allowed inside of BSWA (this includes graduates, staff, and guests).  
• There will be no processional, but students will march out in recess.
• All participants and guests must enter through appropriate portals and remain in assigned seats unless using the restroom facilities.
• Programs will be delivered electronically via backpack and student email and will be available on school websites prior to graduation day. Graduates are the only individuals who will receive a printed program at the arena.
• Graduates and families will not be allowed to congregate within BSWA or on the property outside.  Individuals without tickets will not be allowed to enter the Arena property prior to graduation or loiter outside the Arena to greet graduates after the ceremony.

Below is the graduation schedule:

Wednesday, May 27^th 

• Fine Arts Center at 9:00 AM

Thursday, May 28^th

• 9:00 AM (Southside High School)
• 5:00 PM (Greenville High School)

Friday, May 29^th

• 9:00 AM (Wade Hampton High School)
• 5:00 PM (JL Mann High School)

Saturday, May 30^th

• 9:00 AM (Riverside High School)
• 5:00 PM (Mauldin High School)

Monday, June, 1^st

• 9:00 AM (Blue Ridge High School)
• 5:00 PM (Hillcrest High School)

Tuesday, June 2nd

• 9:00 AM (Eastside High School)
• 5:00 PM (Greer High School)

Wednesday, June 3^rd

• 9:00 AM (Woodmont High School)
• 5:00 PM (Berea High School)

Thursday, June 4^th

• 9:00 AM (Travelers Rest High School)
• 5:00 PM (Carolina High School)