‘Profound disappointment’: Clovis schools cancel graduation ceremony in Fresno

Clovis high schools will not host traditional in-person commencement ceremonies in July, district officials announced Tuesday.

“We had high hopes that we would all of us be able to provide the opportunity to gather as a whole and celebrate the conclusion of your Clovis Unified education,” Superintendent Eimear O’Farrell said during a video announcement on Tuesday. “It is with profound disappointment that I share with you today news that this last celebration will not be possible.”

School officials were hoping circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic would allow them to conduct traditional commencements when they reserved the Save Mart Center. However, they also acknowledged that public health challenges could force them to cancel those plans.

O’Farrell said the Save Mart Center remains closed to events for the foreseeable future.

The announcement comes as COVID-19 infections continue to climb in Fresno County.

Almost 200 new confirmed coronavirus cases were reported Tuesday in Fresno County, pushing the county over the 5,000-case mark and launching the central San Joaquin Valley to more than 13,000 since the first COVID-19 cases were reported less than four months ago.

Fresno County’s Department of Public Health said test results came back positive for 197 people since Monday. One more person died from complications of the respiratory disease caused by the virus.

A total of 5,008 residents have tested positive for the disease in Fresno County since March 6, including 73 who have died. More than 3,100 of those confirmed infections, and 38 of the fatalities, have been reported since June 1.

Clovis schools conducted hosted a string of smaller, in-person ceremonies for individual students in May and June. Students who participated in the smaller ceremonies said they appreciated the effort.

“This ceremony really surpassed my expectations, and I really am not disappointed that we are not having the Save Mart ceremony. The only drawback was having a limited number of family and friends,” said Jordyn Pfalzgraff, a graduating senior from Clovis High.

Trustee Steven Fogg praised school leaders for making the best of a tough situation, saying they did “an amazing job with the 2020 graduations.”

“It was one of the best things that came out of our school closures,” Fogg said.

The Education Lab is a local journalism initiative that highlights education issues critical to the advancement of the San Joaquin Valley. It is funded by donors. Learn about The Bee’s Education Lab on our website.

This story was originally published June 30, 2020 at 5:31 PM.