The Fox C-6 School District announced Thursday (June 11) that it has finalized plans for graduation ceremonies for the class of 2020.
The commencement ceremonies for Fox and Seckman high school graduates will be held Sunday (July 26) at the Family Arena, 2002 Arena Parkway St., in St. Charles. Fox High’s ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., and Seckman High’s ceremony is set to start at 4 p.m.
“We are happy to be able to honor the class of 2020 and their academic accomplishments with graduation ceremonies,” said JP Prezzavento, Fox’s communication and instructional technology coordinator.
The district’s 833 seniors each will receive six tickets for guests to attend, which will allow enough space for those attending to practice social distancing and limit the spread of COVID-19, the district reported.
Previously, the district’s graduating seniors received 15 tickets each for their guests.
This year, the district has 426 seniors at Seckman, and 410 at Fox.
The July 26 date was one of two dates the district had proposed when it had to postpone the graduation ceremonies because of the pandemic. The commencement ceremonies originally were scheduled for May 17 at the Chaifetz Arena on St. Louis University’s campus.
The July date was the backup to a June date, which didn’t work out either.
After the first postponement, the district announced plans to hold graduation June 21 at Chaifetz Arena, with graduating seniors to receive two tickets each. However, Fox had to scratch that plan when the city of St. Louis informed the district that no large gatherings would be allowed in the city until August.
Because the Family Arena’s seating capacity is larger, the district is able to provide more tickets to graduates for the July date.
Fox plans to broadcast the ceremonies on its YouTube channel, Prezzavento said.
While the district is able to hold graduation ceremonies, after all, it did cancel the prom and the traditional lock-in events that follow graduation, Prezzavento said.
“Unfortunately, we will be unable to hold prom this year,” Prezzavento said.
The district and community had already found other ways to help honor the outgoing senior class before graduation plans were finalized.
Kristen Katz, a mother of a Seckman senior, spearheaded an effort to raise money to get yard signs and shirt for the 426 seniors at Seckman, and 410 at Fox. She raised $11,248 through a Facebook fundraiser page called “Fox & Seckman Senior Sign” to buy the signs and shirts from Arnold Printing and Graphics.
The signs and shirts were delivered in April.
Katz, who lives in unincorporated Arnold, said she only needed to raise $7,400 for the shirts and signs, and the remainder of the funds will be split between Seckman and Fox with the seniors deciding how the money should be used.
Also, a senior parade was held at Fox High School on June 1, and a senior parade was held at Seckman High School on June 3.
