​February 22, 2021

 RE: Graduation Celebrations 2021

 Dear Families of ASD-W Grade 12 Students,

 Graduation is the culmination of many years of hard work and a much-anticipated milestone for your children. It is a time where recognition and celebration are in order. Last June, we saw that recognition and celebration could still exist, although it needed to look different during the time of a global pandemic.

 It is with regret that once again, due to COVID-19 restrictions, we will not be able to move forward with traditional graduation activities this year. These activities include a large-scale graduation ceremony with many in attendance, prom, safe grad, and other banquets and events.

 The following guidelines will apply to ASD-W high school graduation ceremonies:

•  Graduations will be scheduled in the month of June 2021 and will follow the Public Health measures in place at that time.
•  Criteria will be given to schools for the effective planning of graduation ceremonies.  It is important to note the maximum gathering size of the Provincial Recovery Level will have to be respected. ie: (Red, Orange, or Yellow).
•  High schools will be required to develop a plan this spring and submit it to their Director of Schools for approval.
•  Families are asked to watch for word from the school administration for updates and details.

 Despite the changes to the guidelines, I am confident that each school will do something very special to recognize the graduates and usher them on to the next chapter in their lives with pride and confidence. We saw some wonderful examples of this in June 2020.

 Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we navigate these challenging times.

 Sincerely,

 David McTimoney,

Superintendent, Anglophone West School District