Airport, drive-thru and parade graduations: northwestern Ontario high schools get creative to honour students

It's a rite of passage crossing the stage to get your high school diploma.

For the second year in a row, the COVID-19 pandemic has halted that tradition,but school boards across northwestern Ontario have come up withunique ways to celebrate their students.

"Graduation is vital, even moreso now, when the students have had a very, another, a second, very very difficult year," said Nicole Morden-Cormier, director of education with the Superior Greenstone District School Board."Graduates need to feel that sense of belonging to their community as well."

In Manitouwadge,the local high school plansto rent the local airport for a day, so graduates and their families can arrive incars, park in the cleared-out area, and watch students walk across the stage. Morden-Cormier said the hope is to rent a low-power FM transmitter as well, so families can listen to what's happening on the stage at the same time.

Each of the other high schools in that board has a different plan, she said, from drive-thru ceremonies that are live streamed on Facebookto parades.

"These are very small community schools, so I think it makes it a lot easier as you don't need to accommodate as many graduates, but also because the community can come out. When the graduation parades are happening, there are more community members that are able to participate, in a sense, than it would be if we were in the gymnasium."

Virtual graduations still an option

Elsewhere, the Rainy River District School Board's ceremonies will all take place virtually, said director of education Heather Campbell.

"Due to the extensive work to plan and prepare for graduation, we will continue with virtual graduations even if our region was to reopen for in person teaching and learning."

The Kenora District Catholic School Board is working with the Northwestern Health Unit to determine its graduation plan.

Ceremonies at Thunder Bay's two Catholic high schools will be on the field or in front of the school. The board is still working with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit to determine how many people can attend.

Provincial regulations regarding outdoor gatherings are slated to change in mid-June.

Lakehead Public Schools said it will offer its students two options for graduation:

• The student, along withfamily, would go inside for a five-minute time slot to cross the stage, get their diploma and have their photo taken, and then leave.
• Two school staff members wouldgoto the home of a student for a photo outside, along with a graduation gift.