(ADVISER’S NOTE: Powell High School Principal Mr. Tim Wormald transmitted this announcement via school e-mail at 10 a.m. Friday, April 24. It has been slightly edited to abide by newspaper style.)

Good morning and happy Friday, Seniors. I hope this email finds you doing well.

I apologize that it has taken me a few days to communicate with you regarding the results of the graduation survey we sent out last week. I wanted to wait until after Wyo. Gov. Mark Gordon’s press conference Thursday to see if he would reveal any information that would influence our graduation planning. Unfortunately, I do not have any more hope now than I did before that press conference that we will be able to hold a traditional graduation ceremony on May 24. At this point, it looks like our best option is to proceed with an alternate graduation plan.

I appreciate your taking the time to respond to that survey. We heard from close to 100 of you, which is great. As you might imagine, the responses and opinions varied significantly – what will be best for some people will not work at all for others. Based on your survey selections and the comments you provided, it is clear to me that we need to prioritize three things during our graduation ceremony:

• Hold an event that allows all of you to celebrate together;
• Give you the opportunity to have your name read as you walk across the stage, wearing your cap and gown;
• Give the community the opportunity to celebrate you and your accomplishments.

With these priorities in mind, we plan to host a graduation ceremony at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 24, in the parking lot of the high school that will be followed by a parade through town.

We will provide more details in the near future; essentially, graduates (with family/friends in their vehicle) will park in the student parking lot. Following a brief ceremony, we will announce graduates’ names as they walk across the stage set up at one end of the parking lot. Once all names are read, we will have all seniors stand beside their vehicles and turn their tassels at the same time. We then will have the graduates exit the parking lot and follow the parade route through town. Obviously, we will need good weather to be able to have graduates walk across the stage, so let’s hope for the best there.

Please look for future e-mails with more detailed information. We will also provide information on the school district’s website and Facebook page.

While the end to this school year is not ideal, I encourage you to finish well. My mom, who was a fifth-grade teacher for many years, used to tell me, “Care enough about yourself to do your very best.” While I was not always great about following my mom’s advice, I look back now and truly appreciate it. I want you to be able to look back at this last month of your senior year and be proud of yourself for the way you finished.

Keep working hard, and make your future self proud.

Sincerely,

Mr. Tim Wormald

Principal, Powell High School