Class of 2021
Commencement Update
Dear Parents or Guardians:
Congratulations on helping your senior graduate from Penn High School during these challenging times. We share your pride in your senior’s achievement and are excited to celebrate in-person on Friday, June 4th outside at Penn High School on TCU Freed Field.
The purpose of this letter is two-fold: To provide you with information about our ceremony and to solicit your assistance in helping make the graduation activities reflect the dignity, solemnity, and importance of your senior’s achievement. This year’s graduation will definitely look different as we will need to ensure a safe environment for those who choose to participate. All candidates for graduation and guests will be required to follow state and local health protocols, including social distancing guidelines, wearing a mask and additional safety and security measures. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and partnership with Penn High School.
Additional Tickets (4 per graduate now available)
Admission to graduation is free-of-charge, but not open to the public. Seniors will be allowed to have four (4) guests in attendance. These guests must have a ticket to attend graduation. This is a non-negotiable number, due to the maximum occupancy in the stadium. We understand this is not an ideal situation, but we need to do our best to follow health safety guidelines. Every person who attends as guests counts, including babies and children.
Participation in Commencement
Commencement Information
Penn High School’s commencement will be held on Friday, June 4th at 7:00 p.m. Should rain or inclement weather delay our plans, the ceremony will be moved to Sunday, June 6th at 7:00 p.m. If weather would indicate that starting our commencement ceremony earlier in the day on Sunday, June 6th would be beneficial, we will make this call and communicate in advance.
Seniors participating should arrive at Penn by 4:00 p.m. on June 4th. Seniors with last names starting with A-K should plan to enter through Door C, using the Bittersweet entrance to Penn High School. Seniors with last names starting with L-Z should plan to enter through Door M, using the Jefferson entrance of the staff parking lot. With limited parking availability, please make arrangements for seniors to be dropped off at the designated entrance. Seniors arriving after 4:30 p.m. will not be in alphabetical order and may be required to be seated at the end of the line. Seniors are required to wear a mask that will be provided, caps, and gowns, and to have appropriate attire under their gowns. Also, no decorations on the caps and gowns will be allowed.
Seniors are asked to refrain from bringing valuables to commencement. Please bring only those necessary items that you will need at graduation. Cell phones, gifts, hangers, food, or drinks will not be allowed. Each graduate will be provided with a bottle of water by their chair. Girls may bring a small handbag/purse and may not wear stiletto heels in order to protect our field.
Parents and guests are to enter through the north our south end of the stadium. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. The facility is handicap accessible.
Severe Weather = Lighting, high winds, heavy and persistent rain.
If severe weather occurs during the ceremony, please follow the directives from Penn administration.
Senior Parades
Re-cap of our Senior Meetings
Seating
Family members must wear a mask while attending this event. Both the home and visitor sections will be available for seating. The map below gives you an indication as to how our ceremony will be set up. Please be mindful of social distancing and take advantage of opening seating on both sides of the field. Both sides will provide an excellent view for everyone. We will have large video monitors on both sides of the field as well. These locations are included on the map.
Layout for Freed Field
Live Streaming
2021 Commencement Ceremony
Caps and Gowns
Masks
Diplomas
Photos
After the ceremony, you are welcome to take photos at the two photo opp locations on the baseball field.
Parking
Handicap Parking- Will be located right outside of the football stadium as well as on the back side of the field by the SSC building.
Entering and Leaving Stadium
All attendees must use social distancing when arriving and leaving the stadium. Families are expected not to congregate outside or inside the stadium at any given time. Hand sanitizer stations will be available at all entrances and along the bottom of the stands on both sides of the stadium. Participating students and family members are encouraged to monitor their health and should not attend if they have any symptoms associated with COVID-19.
Your assistance and cooperation in conforming to the instructions outlined in this letter are needed and appreciated. If you should have any questions about any of the activities outlined above, please do not hesitate to call.
Yard Signs
We still have a few yard signs left that people ordered and never picked up.
If you would like to purchase one. Payment and pick-up will be at Penn High School. The signs are $7 each. Cash or check only, please. Checks need to be made payable to Penn High School.Sean Galiher, Principal
Email: srgaliher@phm.k12.in.us
Website: https://penn.phmschools.org/
Phone: 574-258-9503
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PennHighSchool/?ref=bookmarks
Twitter: @SeanGaliher