Holmes District Schools Announce 2020 Graduation Plans

Throughout the past seven weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the most frequently asked questions from students and parents has been, “Will we be able to have graduation ceremonies?”  From the beginning, Holmes District Schools has been committed to honoring our 2020 seniors with traditional graduation ceremonies if at all possible, while still adhering to the guidelines set forth by the CDC.  We organized a community task force, and after many hours of discussions, research, and planning, we are excited to announce our plans for graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2020.  

All graduation ceremonies will be held at Memorial Field in Bonifay.  This venue will allow the most family members to attend while still practicing social distancing, and also provide handicapped access.  The schedule will be as follows:

Monday, June 1—Poplar Springs
Tuesday, June 2—Bethlehem
Thursday, June 4—Holmes County High
Friday, June 5—Ponce de Leon

All ceremonies will be held at 7:30 p.m., with the exception of Holmes County High.  Each graduate will receive four admission tickets.  Seating will be assigned with sections for each graduate’s four guests, and placement will be determined by a random drawing.  Due to the number of graduates at Holmes County High, the class will be divided into three separate ceremonies.   Those ceremonies will be held at 4:00, 6:00, and 8:00 p.m. on June 4.  Specific details will be announced by HCHS.

We know that many people want to celebrate our students’ accomplishments.  We will be providing a live stream of each ceremony on the school’s Facebook page for those who are unable to attend.   We will also have outdoor screens set up at Bonifay K-8 all four nights, and at the graduating school site on the night of graduation, for family and friends who may not have reliable internet connections to come and view the ceremony.  For example, on Monday night there will be an outdoor screening of Poplar Springs’ graduation at Poplar Springs and at BK-8, and so on throughout the week.  Each graduate will also be provided with a DVD of their ceremony, free of charge.

In addition to graduation ceremonies, each school will be honoring the Class of 2020 with a parade at the school on the evening of their originally scheduled graduation.  Schools will announce specific plans for their events on the mobile app and their social media accounts. 

Please know that these plans are fluid and subject to change.  We are hopeful that over the next few weeks, restrictions will be lifted further, and we will be able to allow more family and friends to join us in honoring our graduates.  Any changes will be posted on our mobile app and social media accounts.  We appreciate your patience as we work to implement these plans in these trying times.  We are thankful for a community that pulls together as a family to make these celebrations unique and memorable for our Class of 2020 graduates!