Gilmer High School Graduation for the Class of 2021
Bobcat's Corner, Community May 31, 2021
Congratulations to Gilmer High School’s Class of 2021.
Saturday, May 29, 2021, saw 243 graduates honored at Huff-Mosley Stadium at Gilmer High School. The ceremony, delayed from its original Friday scheduling due to rain, was held in the morning under the guidance of administration, Principal Carla Foley, and Interim Superintendent Kim Cagle.
Of the 243 graduates, 94 were honor graduates.
As the first class to spend a full year in COVID restrictions, it was a class split between home and school with many opting for in-person education while others joined the virtual academy.
Alexis Sirmans, 2021 Senior Class President, delivers the Welcoming speech for Gilmer High Schools’ Graduation ceremony for the Class of 2021.
Heather Pierce, 2021 Salutatorian, delivers the Salutatorian’s address for Gilmer High Schools’ Graduation ceremony for the Class of 2021.
MacKenzie Setser, 2021 Valedictorian, delivers the Valedictorian’s address for Gilmer High Schools’ Graduation ceremony for the Class of 2021.
View more photos of graduation at FYN’s Facebook Page.
Gilmer delays graduation ceremony one day
News May 27, 2021
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer High School’s graduation ceremony has been delayed in the face of weather forecasts. According to school administration, at the time of the decision, forecasts indicated an 80 percent chance of rain.
Due to this, Gilmer Schools originally followed previous plans to move the ceremony inside, keeping the date and time in order to avoid upsetting any plans for families who may be traveling. However, overwhelming response indicated that the majority of families did not want to move it inside.
Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs told FYN that the school system polled students for the option of moving the ceremony to the following morning in order to allow their wishes to stay on the field but also avoid the rain. With virtually complete support for the idea, the school system announced today that Gilmer’s Graduation Ceremony will move from Friday night at 7 p.m. to Saturday morning at 10 a.m.
While avoiding the possible rain, despite the forecast continuing to change, the change in date has also forced another change to the ceremony.
As reported in March, the resignation of Superintendent Downs effectively set her last day as May 28, 2021, in order to allow Dr. Downs to perform her final action in recommending the class for graduation and joining in the delivery of diplomas. The legal motion within the meeting accepted her resignation with this final day.
Now, with the official date of the ceremony moved to May 29, and with former plans to move into her new home already in motion, Dr. Downs said that she deeply regrets that she will not be able to be a part of the proceedings anymore. She confirmed with FYN that Interim Superintendent Kim Cagle will now perform the necessary actions.
Downs said the she will start her new job early next week, but wanted, and planned, to finish her time with Gilmer Schools with the final moments of ceremony and acceptance of this year’s graduating class.
Much of the plans for the ceremony remain as stated including parking and processions. The system is simply changing the time and day.
Gilmer cancels make-up graduation along with other July activities
News July 10, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – In addition to this weeks announcement of cancelling the prom, Gilmer High School has also announced that they will be cancelling the graduation ceremony scheduled for July 17.
According to a statement from Gilmer High School, “Gilmer County Schools and Gilmer High School have been in contact with the Gilmer County Department of Health and Gilmer County Emergency Management for the past several days to make decisions regarding events scheduled to take place at the high school. Even though all of our events were planned in a manner to keep students and staff safe, we have been advised against holding large group gatherings (those with more than 50 people in attendance) at this time, even if being held outside. We initially planned to have students on the field, seated six-feet apart, and allow only two guests per student to accommodate social distancing requirements in the stands. Due to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in our community, we have been advised by officials to cancel the graduation event scheduled for Friday, July 17th.”
As with previous graduations, this year’s event was scheduled to be held outside on the football field.
However, Graduation is not the only event being cancelled or having restrictions as sports and other activities to be held in July as students are trying to slowly start returning to school.
The statement said, “With regard to sports on the high school campus, we are following strict guidelines from GHSA with regard to social distancing, hand sanitizing and the sanitizing of equipment. Athletes are screened each day, which includes temperature checks, and their responses are recorded to help with contact tracing. Over the past few days, we have had 13 student athletes, some of whom were in attendance at a community event last week (where several people have tested positive for COVID-19) and others who were identified during the screening process, who are being quarantined and cannot participate in practice for the next 14 days. Two sports, wrestling and cheerleading, have cancelled practice until further notice. We continue to monitor the remaining sports still practicing and are prepared to cancel their practices for 14 days should that be necessary.”
Gilmer High’s Marching band has postponed their “Band Camp” from Monday, July 13, to Monday, July 20. Next week they will work with small groups of students for easier monitoring, and then full Band Camp will begin on July 20th.
The High School said, “It is much easier to monitor small groups of students on a daily basis, than it would have been for us to comply with the necessary guidelines to ensure the safety of more than 400 students at prom, and an additional 600 at graduation.”
They went on to add, “This is not what any of us wanted for our students. We all believe in giving our students the greatest high school experiences possible, but will never risk the health and safety of anyone. We greatly appreciate everyone’s understanding and look forward to being able to have everyone back together soon.”
Optimists show signs of care for Gilmer Graduates
Bobcat's Corner, Community May 20, 2020
EAST ELLIJAY, Ga. – Gilmer County’s 2020 graduates have had more than a few setbacks in their senior year due to COVID-19, from missing half a semester, one quarter of their entire senior year, to cancellations of their graduation and prom before rescheduling.
Many school districts in Georgia are trying their best to provide a little extra recognition for their graduates this year due to quarantining practices shutting down the entire state’s school system.
Gilmer is no different as the Board has rescheduled both prom and graduation in addition to providing a digital graduation this Friday. But the community of the county still didn’t think this was enough to make up for months of separation and a lack of closure to the grade school lives.
The Gilmer County Optimist Club pushed forward with a new project this week, and if you’ve driven down Industrial Blvd. this week, you’ve seen the roadside parade of handmade signs that the club has donated and erected to honor these students.
Also recognized at this weeks BOE meeting, the project is getting great appreciation from both the school board and community driving past with honks of appreciation as the project was completed.
The project lead, Lisa Salman, who is also Tourism Director for the Gilmer Chamber, said the idea came together through watching other counties and districts through social media and listening to our own community.
All in the span of about two weeks, Salman pitched the idea to Superintendent Shanna Downs and received approval from the city for a sign permit, then gathered volunteers and donations to buy the materials and hand craft the signs you see on the road. Early Saturday morning, May 16, 2020, volunteers gathered before noon to put up the completed signs. This is the original planned week of graduation.
Graduates each have their own sign recognizing their work and efforts. Salman said that she knew the school was doing things, but said their was meaning in people doing something by hand for the extra recognition. Different volunteers have painted and created different signs, so not all the signs are the same either.
This project is not completed however. Maintenance continues through the week as heavy winds and passing cars have seen a few signs blow down. Salman said they are continue during the week to repair and maintain the project through graduation day.
When asked about the importance of projects like this, Salman said, “We’re friends of youth. Children are so important and I want them to be recognized… I want to make sure they are recognized and t hey could see their name as people drive by and honk.”
The project went up this week to the surprise of all the students as Salman said they spoke with Downs and the City privately to keep this as a Graduation week surprise for the students.
The project saw donations from 35 people and time from 7 volunteers to complete the designs, construction, and finally completion of putting the signs up on the road.
(Photo and video provided by th Gilmer County Optimist Club.)
Gilmer updates Graduation plans with tentative dates
Bobcat's Corner, News April 29, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Students are getting more updates as the administrative staff of both Gilmer High School and the Gilmer County School System continue working towards tentative dates for graduation ceremonies for seniors this year.
Throughout April, Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs has constantly updated parents and students of their work to offer recognition and honor for these students despite the viral outbreak and shutdown. That continued with their Special Called Meeting this week as Downs revealed specific dates for their plans.
Dr. Downs did say “tentative” dates for these events as the school system is still planning and looking at the changing environment.
The current plan does include other grades as those schools wish to hold a celebration for their students to collect some items they may have left, to see friends and teachers, and to provide a little closure to the school year.
Ellijay Elementary School will hold theirs on July 6, 2020. Clear Creek Elementary School and Mountain View Elementary School will hold theirs on July 8, 2020. Clear Creek Middle School will be held on July 9, 2020. Specific times or a time range have not been set yet as plans and events continue to formulate.
Answering the most asked question of recent weeks, Gilmer is attempting to address both Graduation and Prom this year. Dr. Downs announced during the meeting that they are looking to hold their actual graduation ceremony on July 17, 2020, with prom the Friday before, July 10, 2020. Again, the specific time has not been finalized yet, though some time slots are already being considered.
Gilmer is, currently, still planning on a televised recognition video on May 22, 2020, in recognition of students and their honors and achievements, but also wants to give students the actual chance to hold their real graduation in July. Filming will be going on in early May as students, staff, and the school board plan to be a part of the video.
Gilmer offers hope for citizens and students with considerations for Graduation
News April 15, 2020
ELLIJAY, Ga. – Doing more than just a consideration for Gilmer High School students, the Gilmer county Board of Education is looking at plans and options to make sure something for graduation happens for seniors this year.
Not to be held back by the Coronavirus outbreak and shelter orders, the board looked at several options and discussed choices among themselves at this months work session. While Gilmer Schools Superintendent Dr. Shanna Downs said that much of the comments from the public that she has spoken to say they want a real graduation planned for whenever the shelter-at-home ends, she did mention possibly looking at a video of sorts or livestream on May 22 when Graduation was supposed to be held.
She offered the option saying, “This is a May 22 commemoration of that date.” However, she asserted that Gilmer is not going to simply do a virtual graduation only if the public does not want it. They would still work towards the actual graduation later. She went on to note that these seniors are not just missing graduation, but honors night, scholarship night, and similar additional ceremonies recognizing these students and their hard work.
A video or livestream would fill in with families, individually visiting the field at different times and having there honors and scholarships announced to be pieced together in an overall video. However, this is still ideas. The BOE will continue planning and working with GHS and Principal Carla Foley to find the best plans and to involve students and parents in the plan.
An added note, some of the Board considered possibly holding prom later as well, but did not discuss it further as they wanted to focus on Graduation at this time. New information may come with tomorrow’s May 16 Regular Session or possibly next month.
Live Call-In with Dr. Shanna Downs and Lottie Mitchell
Bobcat's Corner, Community March 30, 2020
BKP has Gilmer County Superintendent Shanna Downs and Head of distance learning Lottie Mitchell to discuss how the schools are doing learning from home, the extension of online learning, graduation and prom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do690bFLXNg