There will be no COVID-19 restrictions for Montgomery County Public Schools’ high school graduations or eighth-grade promotion ceremonies, set to begin in June.
The pandemic has plagued the events for two years, moving all graduation ceremonies to a virtual format in 2020 and outdoors in 2021. Eighth-grade promotion ceremonies were held virtually both years.
In a recent interview, MCPS spokesman Chris Cram said events will return to a more normal format this year and be held in person.
Last year, every high school’s ceremony was held at home, usually in its athletics stadium. Some schools liked the approach and will do the same this year, Cram said.
Others will return to other venues such as the University of Maryland Baltimore County, Mount St. Mary’s University and the DAR Constitution Hall.
Schools holding their ceremonies at their home stadiums will schedule two make-up dates in case of inclement weather.
Here is the schedule for MCPS high school graduations and each school’s keynote speaker:
June 1:
• Sherwood High School, home, 9 a.m., Eric Minus
• Walter Johnson High School, home, 9 a.m., John Chase
• Wheaton High School, home, 9 a.m., TBD
• Poolesville High School, Mt. St. Mary’s, 10 a.m., Sean Foster
June 2:
• Stephen Knolls School, home, 10 a.m., Vivian Chisolm
• Damascus High School, home, 9 a.m., Eric Bernstein
• Montgomery Blair High School, home, 9 a.m., Jacqueline Hinman
• Springbrook High School, UMBC, 10 a.m., TBD
• Quince Orchard High School, UMBC, 2:30 p.m., Corey M. Simko
June 3:
• Paint Branch High School, UMBC, 10 a.m., TBD
• RICA, Wootton High auditorium, 9 a.m., TBD
June 6:
• Col. Zadok Magruder High School, home, 9 a.m., Joe Hughley
• Seneca Valley High School, home, 9 a.m., Julianna Taylor
• Walt Whitman High School, home, 9 a.m., TBD
• Clarksburg High School, Mt. St. Mary’s, 10 a.m., John B. King Jr.
June 8:
• Northwest High School, home, 9 a.m., TBD
• Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, home, 9 a.m., TBD
• Winston Churchill High School, home, 9 a.m., TBD
June 9:
• Richard Montgomery High School, home, 9 a.m., Catherine Lhamon
• Gaithersburg High School, home, 9 a.m., Dominique Dawes
• Blair G. Ewing Learning Center, Blake High, TBD, TBD
June 10:
• Longview School, home, 10 a.m., Beth Poss
• Rock Terrace School, home, 10 a.m., Jason Rosenberg
• Albert Einstein high School, DAR, 10 a.m., TBD
• Rockville High School, DAR, 2:30 p.m., Sean Pang
June 13:
• James Hubert Blake High School, home, 9 a.m., Minjote Mekonen
• Northwood High School, DAR, 10 a.m., Monica Bond-Lamberty
• Watkins Mill High School, DAR, 2:30 p.m., TBD
June 14:
• John F. Kennedy High School, DAR, 10 a.m., Jamie Raskin
• Thomas S. Wootton High School, DAR, 2:30 p.m., TBD
Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@bethesdda-remix.newspackstaging.com