Norwin, Penn-Trafford, Yough plan graduations for their normal days

Unlike last year, when some high school graduations were pushed back to the summer, seniors at Penn-Trafford, Norwin and Yough will be among those who will graduate at the end of the regular school year.

Penn-Trafford is planning to hold its commencement on Thursday, May 27, and Norwin seniors will graduate the next day.

Yough’s graduation is planned for Friday, June 4, with rain dates of June 7, 8, and 9.

All three are set to hold commencement at their respective high school stadiums.

Norwin and Penn-Trafford delayed their high school commencement ceremonies last year, holding them in June and July, respectively, because of the covid-related restriction that limited the audience.

At Penn-Trafford, each family will get a limited number of tickets based on capacity requirements in line with Gov. Tom Wolf’s mitigation orders for outdoor gatherings. Right now, that’s set at 20% of capacity, which is 1,074 people at Warrior Stadium, said Tony Aquilio, Penn-Trafford High School prinicipal.

“We are hopeful that it will increase even more by late May,” Aquilio said.

The district will livestream the ceremony.

Core public health measures, such as wearing masks, social distancing and hand hygiene, still must be enforced, Aquilio said.

Penn-Trafford has not set the time for graduation ceremonies because that will depend on whether Penn-Trafford can conduct one ceremony or two, said Colleen Kelly, district spokesperson.

Yough Superintendent Janet Sardon said her school district will hold its ceremony in compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, with masks and social distancing required.

The district has yet to determine how many tickets each student will get for commencement, Sardon said. The school district will livestream graduation so others can watch it, Sardon said.

The Class of 2020 had their graduation ceremonies later in the summer, with no spectators, Sardon said.