A portable stage will be constructed on the football field for the graduation ceremony along with seating for 2011 graduates, two family members per graduate, board members and district and high school staff. All other guests will be seated in stadium seating. Each graduate will receive 12 tickets plus two field level tickets for family members. Each person will need a ticket to be admitted.
“We strongly encourage all who are attending to car pool as much as possible,” said superintendent of schools Adam Bird. “The predicted rainfall this week will make it difficult to park cars in our practice fields.”
There will be a district wide 30-minute early release on Friday to help with clearing the parking lots. Only the main entrance (in front of New Richmond Elementary) will be open to traffic trying to park for graduation.
Parking lots will open at 4 p.m. Friday with a special parking passes needed for the Middle School lot and spaces behind the stadium. Those spaces (reserved for graduates, disabled parents and district staff and officials) will be made available for general parking if not filled by 5:30 p.m.
Those with handicap needs should contact the high school office (513-553-3191) as soon as possible to make arrangements.
Superintendent Adam Bird (seated center) goes over final graduation plans with (from left) high school principal Diane Spinnati, New Richmond Police Chief Randy Harvey and members of the high school and district maintenance staffs.The New Richmond Police Department will be directing traffic before and after the graduation ceremony. District maintenance and custodial staff will assist with parking and guest seating.
“Please make sure that you have your parking pass ready to show to the police and parking assistants,” said Bird. “This is not an athletic event, so attendees will be asked to remain seated. If there is not enough seating, attendees will be directed to visitor stands.”
Graduates will meet and line up at the high school and will go in procession to the stadium.
A decision on postponement (if necessary) will not be made until 2 p.m. on Friday. Information on any postponement will be made by automated telephone calls, email and posted on the district’s web sites. The district’s maintenance and custodial staff has made plans to quickly dry all seating in case of rain prior to the ceremony.
“I am looking forward to what I believe will be a special and memorable event!” said Bird.
