CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools canceled traditional graduation ceremonies in step with other high schools and universities across the nation amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The schools have assembled a task force to plan an alternate celebration for the more than 30 graduation ceremonies that were scheduled to take place in the next two months, the Charlotte Observer reported on Monday. The task force includes high school seniors, parents and school administrators.
The district’s school board Chair Elyse Dashew said that they are working to find a safe way to hold these important celebrations. “We care about you very much and we want you to have a graduation ceremony to treasure,” Dashew said in a message to high school seniors on Facebook.
The decision on an alternate ceremony will be made in early May, Dashew added.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper issued an executive order last week that closed all K-12 schools for the rest of the academic year. Students are scheduled to take virtual classes during the closure.
North Carolina reported more than 9,100 positive cases statewide as of Monday, an increase of 300 compared to Sunday. There have been more than 300 deaths, and 475 people with the virus are currently hospitalized, according to the state’s Health department.
