Marlborough Plans 'Safe, Controlled' High School Graduation

MARLBOROUGH, MA — The Marlborough High School class of 2020 will get a live graduation ceremony — although one that will be heavily influenced by coronavirus.

School officials are planning to hold multiple small graduation ceremonies on June 6 and 7 at the sports field at 1LT Charles W. Whitcomb Middle School. Each ceremony will feature 22 students, and each student will be allowed to bring up to six family members.

The 2019-20 school year was upended in March when Gov. Charlie Baker halted school due to the coronavirus pandemic. School won't start up again until fall at the earliest, and many school districts are struggling with how to handle high school graduation.

"Obviously, graduation is very important to students and they see it as a right of adulthood, and obviously we want to respect that," Superintendent Michael Bergeron said at the Tuesday school committee meeting. "Our job is to protect public safety as well."

For photos, the district is planning to have photographers set up in three locations — one photographing as students get their diploma, another in the middle of the sports field, and another at the panther sculpture in front of Whitcomb. The district will also make a video of each ceremony to distribute to students, allowing them to experience one full graduation.

Marlborough also honored graduating seniors on Wednesday with a special tribute: putting photos of grads in an array outside the high school.

One more marked difference between the 2020 graduation and past years: all students and family members will have to wear face coverings during the ceremony.