Graduation Moving Inside at SCHS This Year

Graduation at Stephens County High School will move inside due to the threat of poor weather.

Stephens County High School Principal Sandy Steele had said that a decision would be made based on the forecast for Friday evening as of Tuesday afternoon.

Steele said the chance of rain is too great to move forward with plans for an outdoor graduation after talking with meteorologists.

“We told him our threshold was 40 percent,” said Steele. “He said we were looking at 80 to 90 percent and it will be thunderstorms.”

That means Friday’s graduation ceremony will move inside to the Currahee Arena on campus at Stephens County High School.

Steele said the largest downside to an indoor ceremony is that the capacity at the arena is not as large as it is outside at the football stadium.

He said students will receive nine tickets for entry into the gym for graduation.

“Based on the number of graduates, based on fire marshal’s codes, based on just logistics, nine is the absolute max we can come up with,” said Steele. “We are not holding tickets back. We are giving every one we can give.”

Steele said it will then be up to students to work together to trade tickets between those who need less than nine and those who need more.

He does say that the school will set up viewing capabilities in the Tugaloo Center for those who are attending graduation but cannot get into the arena.

“Our technology department is going to be able to set up a live feed in the Tugaloo Center,” said Steele.

Steele says that security will still be present to check tickets and conduct bag checks and they are requesting people not bring things like air horns and noise makers into graduation.

Graduation for the Stephens County High School Class of 2016 is Friday at 7 p.m. at the Currahee Arena.