Some KC districts moving forward with outdoor graduation plans

Some Kansas City metro school districts on both sides of the state line still plan to have outdoor graduations, despite rising COVID-19 numbers.

SHUTTING DOWNSCHOOLS.AS THE DEBATE OVERHOW TO REOPENSCHOOLS CONTINUES -SOME DISTRICTS ARESTILL WORKING TO FIGUREOUT GRADUATION.SHAWNEE MISSIONSCHOOL DISTRICT JUSTCANCELED ITS IN-PERSONCEREMONY.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER JORDAN BETTSFOUND OUT WHAT WENTINTO THE DECISION - ANDHOW OTHER DISTRICTSARE MOVING FORWARD.Alexis Monks, graduating fromShawnee Mission South HighSchool"I was hoping, like I didn'teven think the last day beforeSpring Break that this wouldbe the last time I saw most ofthese people that I wouldnever get to see them again."FROM SCHOOL GOINGONLINE TO CANCELINGEND-OF-YEAR EVENTS,HIGH SCHOOL SENIORSARE EXPERIENCING ARELOT.BUT THERE SEEMED TO BEA LIGHT AT THE END OFTHE TUNNEL ....Brandon Kirmer, graduating fromShawnee Mission South HighSchool"It went from at first a maybewe will have an in-persongraduation to we will have anin person graduation and thenless then two weeks beforegraduation, they so ohnever-mind it's going to bevirtual."THE DISTRICT MADE THELAST MINUTE CHANGE DUETO RISING CORONAVIRUSCASES IN JOHNSONCOUNTY.David Smith, Spokesperson forShawnee Mission School District"These are our kids.

We knowwhat this means to them andit's the worst decision to makeexcept to have the in-persongraduation and to put our andour families at risk."THESE SENIORS CALL THEDECISIONHEARTBREAKING.Brandon Kirmer, graduating fromShawnee Mission South HighSchool"When everything has beencancelled, this is the one thingthat we were looking forwardto, especially since I had acountdown on my phone forwhen graduation was supposeto be."BUT, SEVERAL OTHERDISTRICTS STILL PLAN TOHAVE IN PERSONGRADUATION.INCLUDING INDEPENDENCETHIS SATURDAY ATCHILDREN'S MERCY PARK --WITH GUEST LIMITS.DE SOTO STUDENTS WILLGRADUATE IN PERSON ONJULY 25TH --TICKETS ARE NOTREQUIRED -- BUT THEDISTRICT EXPECTS BELOW45 PERCENT CAPACITY ATTHE OLATHE DISTRICTACTIVITIES CENTER.AS FOR SHAWNEE MISSIONSENIORS, THEY SAY THEYWILL HAVE THESE LASTINGTHOUGHTS ON THEIRFINAL YEAR IN HIGHSCHOOL.Alexis Monks, graduating fromShawnee Mission South HighSchool"In the future when people askwhat year did you graduate in,I will be like 2020.

They willbelike ohh."Brandon Kirmer, graduating fromShawnee Mission South HighSc