Columbia High School will host Diploma Ceremonies for the Class of 2020 on Saturday, June 27 on the CHS football field. The plan, which had been developed by school administrators earlier this spring, became possible once New York State allowed outdoor, socially distanced graduation ceremonies of up to 150 people in attendance.
In order to maintain the safety of everyone involved, the school is planning to host 10 small ceremonies with 30 graduates, and their parents, at each event.
The first graduation ceremony is scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. and each event is expected to run 30 minutes in duration. Families will receive a follow-up letter the week prior to graduation that will include the time of their child’s graduation ceremony, their parking location and a field map. The district is exploring an option to livestream the event for friends, relatives and community members who are unable to attend the event due to restrictions on large group gatherings. The school will pre-record speeches and combine this with the 10 ceremonies to provide each student with a full graduation video.
The district has been consulting with Questar BOCES and the Rensselaer County Health Department to ensure compliance with current public health guidelines.
Guidelines for Graduation Ceremony
- Ten individual ceremonies with 30 graduates, and their parents, at each event
- Masks must be worn by everyone in attendance at all times with the exception of the professional photographer station
- Only two parents/legal guardians and the graduate will be allowed on the campus
- Graduates will be assigned parking spaces in advance and must remain in the car until directed to enter the field
- Each ceremony will have a processional with the traditional graduation music
- Once you have entered the field, you will be directed to your family’s assigned seating. Upon entering the field, each graduate/family will be assigned a number, and parents/guardians will be asked to sit in the corresponding seats that are labeled with the graduate’s number. For both organizational purposes for the ceremony and to maintain proper social distancing protocols, it is imperative that you remain in those seats.
- Seats will be arranged in rows of 10 and separated every 5 yards to ensure social distancing
- After the Pledge of Allegiance, National Anthem and a brief welcome address, each graduate will have their name read aloud, walk across a stage on the football field and receive their diploma
- Each graduate will then have an individual photo taken at the photography station, and then they will be joined by their parents for a family photo (masks can be removed for the photos)
- Once the photo is taken, the graduate and their parents will exit the field and return to their car
- Graduates should depart campus immediately so the field can be prepared for the next group
- Hand sanitizing stations will be available upon entering the football field
- Seats and hand rails on the stage will be cleaned between each ceremony
- School staff will help direct traffic and serve as ushers
- East Greenbush Police Department will be present on campus to help ensure safety protocols are followed
- The ceremony may be watched live at the following link: https://egcsd.org/watchgraduation
FAQ: Graduation
When will students receive their cap and gowns?
Cap and gown distribution is scheduled for Friday, June 12 during locker cleanout at Columbia High School. Seniors will also be returning their chromebooks at this time.
Is there a graduation rehearsal?
No, there is no planned graduation rehearsal for this year’s ceremony.
Will students be receiving tickets for this year’s graduation?
Tickets will not be dispersed this year. Due to the state’s strict regulations for socially distanced graduation ceremonies, only the graduate and two parents/guardians are permitted on campus for this year’s diploma ceremony.
What is the length of the graduation ceremony?
Each ceremony will last approximately 30 minutes.
What should students wear under their robes?
Appropriate attire should be worn under the student’s gown. Light colored dress attire should be worn (dresses for the ladies and dress pants for the gentlemen). Students need to climb and descend stairs and appropriate footwear should be worn. Flip-flops are not appropriate and have caused students to fall down the stairs in past ceremonies.
What time do graduates and their parents need to be at Columbia High School for the graduation ceremony?
Graduates and their parents should arrive 15 minutes before the start of their assigned diploma ceremony. A letter will be sent to families the week prior to graduation.
What are the parking procedures?
Graduates will be assigned parking spaces in advance and must remain in the car until directed to enter the field.
When will students in the National Honors Society (NHS) receive their gold cords?
Students will receive their gold cords with their caps and gowns.
Graduation Ceremony Schedule
Diploma Ceremony 1 – 9:00 a.m.
- Arianna Foley
- Justin Forte
- Justine Fournier
- Madison Franklin
- Rowan Fredericks
- Thomas Freemantle
- Nicholas Gabriel
- Lauren Galkiewicz
- Spencer Gallagher
- Connor Garab and Kyle Garab
- Dalton Garceau
- Tricia Gardy
- Caitlyn Garrigan
- Andrew Gatchell
- Terry Gattie
- Emma Geisser
- Hailey Genito
- Kyle Gibson
- Sebastian Giovannetti
- Jacob Goodman
- Alex Gore
- Alaina Gosh
- Breanna Graf
- Abhinav Gudapati
- Victoria Guenther
- Christina Guilbo
- Christian Gunn
- Brett Hackel
- Morgan Hahn
- Owen Stefanko
Diploma Ceremony 2 – 9:45 a.m.
- Lindsey Schanz
- Tobey Seaburg
- Tyler Seaburg
- Blake Seaman
- Connor See
- Gavin Sessions
- Janel Severson
- Nidhi Shah
- Aiden Sheehy
- Christian Shepard
- Jack Shufelt
- Stefanie Simkins
- Jacob Simpson
- Harman Singh
- Emma Slawson
- Jacob Slovak
- Brandon Smith
- Noah Snyder
- Robert Solivan
- Kaiden Stevens
- Taryn Stewart
- Caden Stone
- Makayla Stoutenburg
- Joseph Tafur
- Nina Tedeschi
- Grace Templeton
- Savannah Tenace
- Mary Thaler
- Ryan Thompson
Diploma Ceremony 3 – 10:30 a.m.
- Sean Tierney
- Noah Tiley
- Alexandra Torelli
- Richard Turoski
- David Urena
- Kaitlyn Velardi
- Nicolas Venuti
- Steven Vera
- Lillia Walsh
- Emma Walters
- Audrey Warburton
- Ben Waters
- Emmarie Weeks
- Lucinda Whipple
- Alexis White
- Bailey White
- Karah Whitman
- Tyer Williams
- Ava Willis
- Trinity Wilson
- Robert Wiltsie
- Jaycee Wojcik
- Abigail Wyman
- Ariana Wynne
- Seana Yeates
- Michael Yelle
- Marisa Young
- Betul Yucedal
- Jenna Zurek
- Darcy Zwanka
Diploma Ceremony 4 – 11:15 a.m.
- Abagail Melaragno
- Jacob Memole
- Patrick Mertz
- Chris Miazga
- Noah Millan
- Samantha Miller
- Noah Monpoeho
- Colin Morrow
- Aden Mugrace
- Brandon Murray
- Ashley Murtagh
- Brianna Myers
- Robert Myers
- Julia Neal
- Sean Neeson
- Ethan Nelson
- Dominic Nova
- Amy Novak
- Alexis O’Brien
- Madison Oathout
- Oliver Olds
- Abigale Paju
- Arazelis Palacios
- Amanda Palma
- Montanna Palmer
- Adam Pangburn
- Justine Patricelli
- Kirsten Paultre
- Tyler Pearson
- William Perkins
Diploma Ceremony 5 – 12:00 p.m.
- Kaitlyn Hall
- Matthew Hansen
- Christopher Harris
- Quinn Hartzell
- Taylor Hatch***
- Emily Hawkins
- Sydney Helou
- Patrick Hempstead
- Tahkai Hodges
- Brady Hoffman
- Tyler Hoffman
- Elise Holmedal
- Connor Hurley
- Serena Iacopelli
- Irish Iquin
- Evan Jones
- Luz Jorge-Febrillet
- Shruti Kamat
- Joseph Karam
- Caitlin Kelley
- Ryan Kelson
- Chris Kenna
- Dylan Kenna
- Ellen Kerber
- Faristha Khan
- Charleigh Kilgallon
- Thomas Knowlton
- Rachel Kobilca
- Sam Kromer
Diploma Ceremony 6 – 4:30 p.m.
- Philip Brown
- Ryan Brown
- Kelly Bryant
- Nicole Bryant
- Alexis Bulan
- Marcus Bullock
- Nathaniel Burek
- Jamison Burke
- Hayden Butterfield
- Christian Calderon
- Madison Campbell
- Jake Carey
- Grace Cashman
- Hunter Cellery
- James Chamberlin
- Pranav Chauhan
- Laura Christian
- Isabella Cohen
- Zachary Coler
- Lindsey Conboy
- Megan Conklin
- Lindsey Connor
- Ella Conway
- Colton Cooney
- Heather Cooper
- Jarod Cramer
- Matthew Cramer
- Madison Crotty
- Abby Cullett
- Dylan Czajkowski
Diploma Ceremony 7 – 5:15 p.m.
- Kyle Ackerman
- Haley Aiken
- Joseph Alamprese
- Mason Albert
- Nikkita Alcombright
- Ryan Allen
- Meaghan Almon
- Ian Anderson
- Ashley Angelo
- Morgan Arensmeyer
- Timothy Baker
- Owen Ball
- Julie Bariteau
- Micaella Barrett
- Katelyn Bauer
- Grace Bayly
- Paige Bencivenga
- Talia Bennett
- Carolyn Berry
- Breanna Best
- Joshua Bissaillon
- Scott Blais
- Benjamin Bodner
- Alexis Bombard
- Christian Borey
- Jessica Borst
- Kourtney Brand
- Zoey Brandt
- Logan Brisson
- Grace Brody
Diploma Ceremony 8 – 6:00 p.m.
- Michael D’Angelo
- Calvin Dambrose
- Chad Daniels
- Gagan Darjee
- Grace Davis
- Filippa Dedorsson
- Adrianna Defeo
- Taylor Demers
- Nicholas Demizio
- Melody Diaz
- Michael Digman
- Jessica Dimenno
- Ashley Doherty
- Collin Dougherty
- Katherine Duda
- Tyler Dunham
- Angelina Dwight
- Haley Earing
- Zachary Eldred
- John Ely
- Carmen Erno
- Samantha Essenter
- Austin Fahrenkopf
- Morgan Fallon
- Abigail Farnan
- Juliana Fiacco
- Briana Figgs
- Sean Fila
- Mya File
- James Fish
Diploma Ceremony 9 – 6:45 p.m.
- Gregory Phillips
- Addison Phoenix
- Kendra Phoenix
- Logan Plowinske
- Julia Poitras
- Logan Poli
- Andrew Powell
- Alexander Pruett
- Gabriella Pugliese
- Harley Quinn
- Liat Radetsky
- Frank Rainville
- Shayda Ramsammy
- Nicholas Rappazzo
- Abigail Raymond
- Auria Redick
- Anthony Rizzo
- Preston Roberts
- Jayden Rodriguez
- Mariarosa Rodriguez
- Savanna Roehr
- Patrick Rohl
- Kason Romanowski
- Chesney Romer
- Kyra Russo
- Victoria Salvatore
- Makenna Salway
- Lyssandra Sanchez
- Spencer Savage
- Hannah Scarano
Diploma Ceremony 10 – 7:30 p.m.
- Jack LaDue
- Spencer Lahaie
- Alicia Langenbach
- Connor Leddick
- Jackson Lentz
- Isabelle Lewis
- Olivia Lombardi
- Schuyler Lorette
- Emily-Julie Lyck
- Maya MacDonald
- Isabella Maguffin
- Raymond Mahar
- Lily Mahoney
- Andrew Malak
- Aidan Malia
- Noelle Maloney
- Joshua Mann
- Zachary Mann
- Elizabeth Manning
- Marcus Marcella
- Domenico Marotta
- Maxwell Marte
- Isobel McCarty
- Christian McClay
- Jacob McCormick
- Garrett McDonald
- Jasmine McDonald
- Benjamin McHugh
- Colleen McHugh
- Jared Meisel