Superintendent's Update

Posted on 04/20/2020

Superintendent's Update April 21, 2020

Superintendent Denia Reese explains graduation plans for the Class of 2020

We all regret that the COVID-19 pandemic severely interrupted the Class of 2020’s senior year. It is encouraging that Georgia’s Governor Brian Kemp is lifting some of the shelter-in-place guidelines on April 24th, but the future is still uncertain as we look towards graduation. In case large gatherings are still prohibited by state and federal guidelines at the end of May, the high school principals and I have worked together to develop a plan for graduation.

If our high schools cannot have a traditional graduation ceremony due to Georgia’s social distancing guidelines, we have developed two contingency plans based on the results from student survey input.

Traditional Graduation Postponed

The traditional graduation ceremony students and their families were expecting will be held on the following dates:

Heritage High School, July 30, 8:00 p.m., Jeff Sims Field at Heritage Stadium
LFO High School, July 31, 8:20 p.m., LFO’s Tommy Cash Stadium
Ringgold High School, July 31, 8:00 p.m., RHS’s Don Patterson Stadium

Students will be contacted about planning the graduation ceremony, and there will be a traditional rehearsal prior to the ceremony. While it is very sad that we must postpone graduation, we hope that this celebration will be very special day for students to see their friends and celebrate their success.

In order to enhance this reunion, senior class sponsors and senior class officers are planning a Senior Dance at each high school. The dance will be FREE. Each senior may bring one guest (under the age of 21). The dance will be held in July, and the dates will be announced soon.

Drive through graduation

We understand that some students with extenuating circumstances such as military training, moving out of the area, etc., may need to have graduation and receive their diploma at the end of May. These students may choose to individually receive their diploma in a drive-through ceremony on the following dates:

Heritage High School, May 21
LFO High School, May 22
Ringgold High School, May 22

Students who choose this option will call the school to make an appointment to receive their diploma. Based on Georgia’s guidelines for the size of gatherings at this time, students may invite a limited number of family members. The school principal and a few members of the faculty will be present. Students and administrators will wear their cap and gown, students will receive their diploma, and a photographer will be present for pictures.

COVID-19 has certainly changed the way we can plan for the future. Our goal is to provide a meaningful conclusion to high school for the Class of 2020. Of course all plans are subject to state and federal guidelines in place at the time, but hopefully this contingency plan will allow families to make plans and give our seniors something to look forward to at the end of this crisis.

Superintendent's Update

Cloud Springs

Cloud SpringsElementary School