Porterville Unified School District is pleased to congratulate the Class of 2020!
We would like to announce the following information regarding our graduations. Though the ceremonies will look different from past years, in these challenging times, we are confident we can safely celebrate their many achievements! We will have two separate events, including a drive-thru ceremony and a virtual ceremony posted online.
Drive-Thru Ceremony
Each site will host a drive-thru ceremony for seniors. Students will be assigned a scheduled time to arrive at their school in ONE vehicle with their family, briefly exit while wearing their cap and gown, and have their photo taken by a professional photographer while being cheered on by their teachers and other staff members. Students should sit in the front passenger seat to allow for easy access to the photo stage. If transportation is an issue, please contact your site administration.
This plan was developed based on guidelines as mandated by the State of California and Tulare County Health authorities in dealing with COVID-19. Due to large public gatherings currently being unallowed as well as mandates to maintain social distancing, we regret we will not be able to accommodate family photos during the drive-thru events. We instead encourage families to take their own pictures with their graduate prior to or after participating in the site ceremony. To help in making this event even more memorable, we will have various Snapchat filters available to use in your photos.
Again, only ONE vehicle will be allowed per student.
Each high school site will be providing additional information on these ceremonies including scheduling and the exact route and location of the events.
The drive-thru schedule for high school graduations is as follows:
- Porterville High School – Wednesday, May 27, and Thursday, May 28 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Granite Hills High School – Wednesday, May 27 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Monache High School – Thursday, May 28 from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Strathmore High School – Thursday, May 28 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Harmony Magnet Academy – Friday, May 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Butterfield Charter School – Friday, May 29 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Porterville Adult School – Monday, June 1 starting at 9 a.m.
- Citrus High School will premiere their virtual ceremony on June 12 at 6:00 p.m. Students are invited to the site after the conclusion of the video for a drive-thru event to pick up their diploma.
Our three middle schools will be holding drive-thru promotion ceremonies for students on the scheduled days:
- Sequoia – Wednesday, May 27 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Bartlett – Thursday, May 28 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- Pioneer – Friday, May 29 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Additional information will follow from each site including specific times assigned to students.
High School Virtual Ceremonies
Traditional speeches will be recorded ahead of time, then included in a video with the drive-thru ceremonies and a photo slideshow of all graduates. The respective videos will be posted to social media and uploaded to the PUSD YouTube channel. These virtual ceremonies will be broadcast on Friday, June 12, at 7:30 p.m.
We understand there will be a lot of emotions that come with this announcement as we do our best to truly honor the Class of 2020 in one of the most unique situations that any of us has ever faced. We are so proud of our graduates and know this is only the beginning of many new and exciting opportunities for their future! Congratulations, Class of 2020!
For more information, please go to our website at portervilleschools.org. Thank you.