On May 12, an email from Coppell ISD Superintendent Dr. Brad Hunt to the class of 2020 confirmed plans for an in-person graduation. According to the email and the CISD website, the ceremony will be held on May 31 at the Globe Life Field in Arlington at 5 p.m. for New Tech @ Coppell graduates and 8 p.m. for Coppell High School graduates. 

The in-person graduation is an optional event.

While more details will be announced soon, the ceremony will be limited to a number of guests consisting of seniors and their immediate family. The event will not be open to the public, and strict guidelines from Tarrant County, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the new Texas Rangers Ballpark must be followed by the attendees. 

“Graduation is a big part of the end of your senior year, so when we heard that the graduation was canceled, I was very upset,” CHS senior class parliamentarian Diya Patel said. “But then when we got the news that the in-person graduation was going to be held, I was very excited and overwhelmed because I realized my senior year would finally have the ending that everyone else had. I was excited that I would have one more chance to see everyone in my grade and just be able to share that experience with everyone.”

Due to concerns over COVID-19, some students are planning not to attend. Seniors and their families need not attend both the virtual and in-person ceremonies in order to graduate high school.  

“I’m nervous, in all honesty,” CHS senior Jonathan Venegas said.. “I feel like it’s going to be very difficult to do [host an in-person graduation] and still keep it safe. As much as I miss friends and miss school, I have come to accept that that chapter of my life is closed in terms of physically being at high school, so I don’t want to go to the graduation where I’m putting myself even at the small amount of risk.

The previously announced virtual graduation ceremonies will take place on May 28 at 1 p.m. for CHS and on May 22 at 5 p.m. for NTH @ Coppell. 

“I want to personally thank you for your patience, tenacity and grit,  as we continue to work through this school closure together as a CISD family,” Hunt said in an email to the class of 2020. “This has not been easy for any of us, and I am happy we will have something special for our seniors to be able to celebrate their last year in CISD together with their class and their families.”

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