Honoring the Class of 2020

Honoring the Class of 2020
Posted on 05/06/2020
From Brad Ellebracht, MHS Principal

Our thoughts have been with this senior class of 2020 as the end of their final year at MHS has been so disrupted. Over the course of the COVID-19 closure, MHS and district administration have kept the interest of the class of 2020 at the forefront of our mind when making decisions. 
We know that every year, honoring those students we are sending out into the world is not only important to the school and their families, but to the entire community. I have heard from many community members who are offering to help which is greatly appreciated.

It has also been important to us to hear the wishes of our parents, and we recently sent a survey to senior parents regarding commencement and prom, and to junior parents regarding prom. An overwhelming 96% of parents who responded told us that you want a traditional MHS graduation and many students were still interested in attending Prom, even if both events are held at a later date.

We all want our Class of 2020 Bulldogs to have the experiences they have been looking forward to but we also want to make sure we hold these events in ways that will not jeopardize the health of our community. At this time, Mexico High School plans to host our high school commencement ceremony for the class of 2020 on the evening of Sunday, July 12.   
Additionally, we hope to hold our Junior/Senior Prom on the evening of Friday, July 10 at the high school. We understand that hosting two large events in one weekend may not be the ideal situation; however, our current reality is also not ideal. We are attempting to make the best of the uncertain times while still honoring our graduates.

MHS will release information to parents by email as events are developed. In the event the circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic do not allow us to host the events on these dates, prom will be canceled and alternative plans will be made for commencement exercises. 

Planning these ceremonies has been a delicate balance of holding true to tradition yet protecting public health. We also understand that our community and businesses benefit from the events as students order flowers, eat locally, use photography services, visit cosmetology venues, and more. We hope to host and properly honor our seniors, but we absolutely plan to follow the guidelines from local, state, and federal officials to help us plan for the safe participation of all involved. We will continue to abide by the guidelines that are set by our national, state, and local leaders as we work to return to normalcy in a safe and responsible way.

Thank you for your continued support of MHS as we work to honor the class of 2020.