LAUSD Says In-Person Graduation Ceremonies Will Take Place In 2021
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — High schools within the Los Angeles Unified School District will be able to have "safe, socially distanced" outdoor graduation ceremonies this year, Superintendent Austin Beutner said Monday.
The district has begun planning commencement ceremonies, which took place virtually last year due to the pandemic. Beutner said graduation is an important part of any child's journey.
"Now that students are back on campus, plans are coming together ... For high school seniors, graduation reflects a lifetime of hard work and provides a chance to recognize athletes, scholars, artists and others who have accomplished many great things," he said.
Starting next week, the district will deploy mobile coronavirus vaccination teams for about two weeks to roughly 250 schools to help vaccinate students, Beutner said.
"Ninety percent of people on a school campus at any point in time are children. Herd immunity won't be reached in schools or in the broader community until children are vaccinated," Beutner said about the district.
Out of the district's almost 650,000 students, almost 300,000 are ages 12 and older and now eligible for the vaccine.
As of Monday, there were 19 school-based vaccination clinics now open in neighborhoods that have been most impacted by the virus.
The district also confirmed Monday that it will offer summer school for all students after the spring semester ends on June 11.
In-person summer programs will be available from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday for students up to 8th grade to participate in academic classes in the morning and sports, arts and other activities in the afternoon.
On-campus and at-home options also will be available for high school students.
Anyone with questions about receiving a free vaccination at a neighborhood school may call the Family Vaccination Hotline at 213-328-3958 or visit LAUSD's website here.
(© Copyright 2020 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
