Drive-through diploma ceremonies planned for Iberville Parish schools

Seniors from Iberville Parish High Schools will receive their diplomas Friday, although it will not come during a traditional ceremony.

In fact, it will not involve a ceremony – at least for next week.

Iberville Parish public school graduates for the Class of 2020 will receive their diplomas in a “Diploma Pickup Ceremony” scheduled for each campus in the parish over the next week.

“We’re calling it a “pickup ceremony” because we’re doing this with a goal of having a face to face ceremony sometime in July,” Superintendent Dr. Arthur Joffrion said.

The pickup will take place rain or shine, he said.

“We’re doing this to give the kids an opportunity to at least get their diploma and make the best of a bad situation, he said.

The ceremonies will begin May 15 with a 6 p.m. drive through at White Castle High, followed by a ceremony at noon Tuesday, May 19 at the MSA-West campus, and MSA-East campus on May 27 at 5 p.m.

The ceremony at Plaquemine High will take place at 5 p.m. May 18 and 19, while the drive-thru will be held at East Iberville on May 22 at 1:30 p.m.

A ceremony at 5 p.m. May 21 at the STEM school will mark the final drive through.

In the meantime, the school system has begun its transition back to work after the end of the Stay at Home Order, with amended schedules that require employees work 2.5 days a week onsite.

Next week, all individuals on extended contracts – 10 months. 10.5 months or a year – will resume full schedule.

Teachers and others will clean out classrooms and being prep for the summer cleaning, while cafeteria workers will also carry out the same procedure.

Summer school, meanwhile, will be pushed to July instead of June, Joffrion said.

Schools are scheduled to reopen Aug. 10.