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Columbiana High School Class of 2020, parents and community members: We appreciate your patience during this extremely difficult period of time in our country, state and local community. Our senior students have had anything but a traditional ending to K-12 educational experience. However, our students who will be graduating this year are some of the best our valley has to offer, and they will persevere through this crisis. Many of these students have taken on roles beyond their own expectations and have already begun to develop the skills necessary to be key citizens and outstanding adults. Part of the reason the signs for seniors say " 2020 Clipper Senior - Ready for Takeoff". They are taking off and ready to tackle anything that comes their way! We are proud of all the 2020 graduates and have planned many ways for this to be a memorable occasion to celebrate the accomplishments and great memories from Columbiana Schools.

We have spent a great deal of time communicating with the Columbiana County Health Department and considering how to fill in the gaps of the traditional ways we recognize our soon to be graduates. Many restrictions have been placed upon the district, and we are working with our local authorities to provide a safe and healthy way to celebrate achievement. Below are some of the details of events that will occur in the month of May.

Graduation

Graduation is the most important part of the year's celebration for our students. Given today's restrictions, our graduation ceremony for May 17th will be broadcast virtually through a link from the district's website on YouTube. Students have been contacted by the high school office staff with individual appointments. The appointments permit our students, families and the school staff to safely capture the moment for our virtual graduation program. The appointment is the filming for that program. This part of the graduation process is a production to piece together all of our graduates into one video. Once completed the video will be uploaded to YouTube for families to safely enjoy the entire graduation ceremony at 2:00 p.m. on May 17th.

  • Each graduate has an established appointment that must be followed. The time is spaced to keep all of our Clipper families safe during the film session. The filming will be from 10:00a.m,through 6:00 p.m. on May 8th. We ask that you be on time and respectful of all of the people involved with this process.
  • All guests must wear a mask while in the building.
  • All guests will have their temperature taken in order to enter the building.
  • We ask that no person come to the building who has exhibited symptoms of any illness nor has been exposed to anyone from COVID19 in the 14 days prior to the filming.
  • Contact the office to arrange for any guest of the graduate that has special circumstances for entering the building or is in the at-risk group for illness.
  • Arbogast Photography will be there to capture a still photograph of the graduate receiving the diploma cover. This is at no cost to the student and family.
  • Diplomas will not be included in the video production. Diplomas may not be issued before the actual graduation date as per Department of Education guidelines. Diplomas may be picked up from the high school office May 18th - May 22nd.
  • Each graduate is permitted to have their diploma presented by 1 or 2 people only. The graduate may have a maximum number of 6 immediate healthy family members, plus the graduate present during the filming. There will be no exceptions. Only the graduate and presenter(s) of the diploma will be close to the awards table during filming. A specified location for additional family members will be mapped out for the process. A maximum of 10 people, including Columbiana staff, has been established by Governor DeWine's order.
  • Each graduate will move to several other locations for additional filming to take place for the final production of the graduation program. We ask that all family members attending move to designated locations as instructed by the staff in order to facilitate the production.
  • Lastly, a tentative, in-person, outdoor, traditional ceremony will be held if possible on August 2, 2020, and a rain date of August 9, 2020. This will only take place if permitted by law and the interest to have the traditional ceremony continues to exist with the class of 2020.

Senior Yard Signs

All graduating seniors should have received a yard sign with the class of 2020 recognition. A big thank you to the staff for delivering the signs showing the support for the class of 2020. A video of the senior yard signs will be available tonight. Students not appearing in the video did not submit their photo or meet the deadline. The video can be found at: https://youtu.be/ckM3qZ3MbIo

Awards Night

Awards Night is one of the biggest days for seniors students. The high school office and Mrs. Cleghorn plans to recognize the accomplishments of students through the newsletter format. The senior students have been asked repeatedly to submit correct information regarding their recognition for this publication. Those students who have not responded will be highlighted with no information provided. Information was due by May 1st. You can email Mrs. Cleghorn with a possible late addition. However, there is no guarantee the publication can be updated at this point in time.

Senior Recognition Parade

Mr. Buzzard and his staff have arranged for a parade for seniors to be led by the Columbiana Police Department through town and into Firestone Park on May 15th at 6:00pm. Thank you to Mayor Blakeman and the City of Columbiana for considering May 15th a Senior Week Celebration in a formal declaration.

  • Students may appropriately decorate their cars to be included in the parade.
  • Only one student to a car - Students must remain in their cars throughout the process.
  • Students may begin lining up at 5:00 p.m. on May 15th in the high school parking lot near the main gym. A staff member and police officer will be there to place vehicles in lines.
  • Parade Route - Students will follow the Columbiana Police past Columbiana Middle and High Schools to Elm St. Students will turn right on Elm St. and travel to Park St. Students will turn right on Park St. and enter Firestone Park following Columbiana Police Department. Students will drive past the pool, stadium and baseball fields and exit the park at Mirror lake. The Police Department will take students to Main Street where they will exit the parade to return home.
  • We ask that anyone who watches the students remain a safe distance from one another or watch the parade route from your vehicles.

Senior Shirts

Senior shirts may be picked up on May 12th during designated locker clean out and equipment return. Your senior shirts should be worn during your senior parade on May 15th. Students' athletic awards, book return, and ChromeBook return will take place at the designated times for locker clean out.

Senior Celebration Videos

The district will be posting additional celebration videos of the senior class of 2020. It is of vital importance that requests for photos and videos be submitted to our staff. The school staff is working to produce class of 2020 special moments videos that showcase the class of 2020's school experience beyond the last few days of school.

THANK YOU! CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2020!