District 207 plans car parades, virtual ceremonies to celebrate graduates
All three schools in Maine Township High School District 207 will celebrate graduation virtually on Sunday, with in-person car parades before or after the online ceremonies, officials announced Wednesday.
The pre-produced graduation ceremonies will be released to the public Sunday afternoon on each school's YouTube page. The graduates, wearing caps and gowns, will be able to drive through their school's parking lot, where staff members will be on site to wave and congratulate them.
For Maine West, the virtual ceremony will be available at 1 p.m. at youtube.com/channel/UCeGTMgmuSkRcnRYV3DPf3-g. The car parade at the Des Plaines school is scheduled from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
For Maine East, the ceremony will be released at 1 p.m. at youtube.com/user/wmthmaineeast. The car parade at the Park Ridge school will occur from 3 to 4 p.m.
For Maine South, which also is in Park Ridge, the ceremony will be available at 3 p.m. at youtube.com/channel/UCX0v8R-UF7uBOJ6jzQFx6Sw. The car parade at the school is scheduled for 1 p.m.
District 207 officials late last month announced plans for virtual ceremonies amid the coronavirus pandemic. In an April 20 message, Superintendent Ken Wallace also said Sunday, Aug. 2, is being held as a possible in-person graduation date, with a potential backup date in the fall. He also suggested the possibility of in-person proms and other events like senior breakfasts the last weekend of July.
District 207 spokesman Brett Clark on Wednesday said officials haven't yet ruled out those in-person events.
Meanwhile, virtual senior honors night ceremony recordings were scheduled to be released Wednesday night.