DEARBORN — There’s some good news for Dearborn Public Schools’ students and their parents whose graduation ceremony plans were modified by COVID-19. This week, the district announced graduation events for Fordson, Edsel Ford, Magnet and Dearborn High Schools.  

The July ceremonies will provide students and their parents a chance for an individualized graduation. Better late than never. The plan is for Edsel Ford, Dearborn, Fordson and Dearborn Magnet High Schools to hold similar events on different days, the district said. 

Edsel Ford will hold its graduation on July 13, Dearborn High on July 14, Fordson on July 15 and the Magnet High School on July 16. August 3 through 6 are being held in reserve in case of bad weather or to accommodate any new executive orders from the governor that may impact public events.

The details

At all three schools, a driver will pull up to the school and allow the senior and two adults to get out of the vehicle. Edsel Ford and Fordson will allow the vehicle to park. The three will get into a continuous moving line spaced behind other graduates. The students will have their names announced and greet dignitaries on a viewing area with a nod or wave, no handshakes. 

The graduate will then be handed their diploma and will pose for a quick professional picture. The graduate and the adults accompanying them will then proceed to the end of the event, where their driver will have pulled around and be waiting to pick them up.

To observe social distancing measures, students and families will not be allowed to linger at the school. The events will be broadcast live. Speeches from students and dignitaries will be prerecorded. Students will be assigned certain times to arrive to ease congestion.

“While we know this is not what students and parents had hoped for, we feel it is a fair compromise,” Superintendent Glenn Maleyko said. “Traditional graduations at our three main high schools attracted more than 1,000 people to each event, and it will be a long time before it is reasonably safe to hold such large gatherings.

“This approach will let students see their school one more time, wear their caps and gowns to participate in an actual face-to-face event with their parents present and allow unlimited family members to watch from home.”

The district is also recognizing the following valedictorians and salutatorians:

• Fordson High School co-valedictorians Mahdi Hassan Abdallah and Ibrahim Nasser Qasem, and salutatorian Muhammad Salah Alnasser.
• Dearborn High valedictorian Cindy Hakim and salutatorian Dania Alazawi.
• Edsel Ford High School valedictorian Ahmed Alshemmam and salutatorian Samantha Davies.