Fountain Hills High School usually graduates its senior class in the middle of May but, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the end of the 2019-20 school year was severely altered as large public places were closed to prevent the spread of the virus.

Now, with the State of Arizona opening back up, FHHS Principal Cain Jagodzinski and a committee of students and parents have worked together to make a special graduation ceremony happen on June 12 at 8 p.m.

Taking place at the high school football field instead of Fountain Park, the ceremony will be open to parents and students only and follow CDC guidelines. Seats will be spread out to social distance families on the field and facemasks will be required as well as provided.

Students and their parents will be treated to a handful of speeches and a video montage of the class of 2020 before the senior and their families proceed up the stage to receive their diploma. After receiving the diploma, the families will head back to their cars in one of the five parking lots in use.

While not the ideal night, Dr. Jagodzinski hopes it will be special for those in attendance.

“We just want to do what we can to make it a special night for the parents and kids; to hopefully give them the sendoff they dreamed about,” Jagodzinski said.

Jagodzinski and his team are also staying vigilant for any developments that might force changes in the ceremony.