City sets stage for in-person high school graduation ceremonies

San Francisco public high school seniors were denied in-person graduation ceremonies last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but city officials say outdoor commencement ceremonies are in the works to mark the achievement for this year’s graduating class. 

Mayor London Breed and Supervisor Ahsha Safai announced Tuesday that The City will partner the San Francisco Unified School District to host outdoor commencement ceremonies for several public high schools in a program called “Graduations for All.” Ceremonies will take place between June 1 and June 3 for 4,000 graduating public high school students.

Officials said high schools with large graduating classes will hold ceremonies at the Recreation and Parks’ Kezar Stadium. Kezar Stadium will host commencements for: Lowell, Burton, Galileo, Washington, Balboa, O’Connell, Mission, Lincoln, Marshall and Wallenberg high schools, and Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts.

McAteer High School will host smaller graduating classes from: The Academy SF, Civic Center Secondary, Downtown, Hilltop, Independence, Ida B. Wells, June Jordan School for Equity, SF International and Youth Chance schools.

Each ceremony will comply with state and local health guidelines. At least two hours between events will be used for disinfection, set up and breakdown. Students will be seated 6 feet apart and will be allowed to invite up to four guests. Family pods of four will be distanced 6 feet apart from each other, officials said.

Breed said in statement:

“While this year has been anything but a normal senior year for our high school students, we’re glad we can help bring some semblance of normalcy to this year’s graduation ceremonies.”

Supervisors last month passed a resolution urging The City to do what it can to help save 2021 activities for high school seniors by providing resource support and funding.

Safai, who sponsored the resolution, said In a statement:

“This should be a time of happiness, celebration, families and communities coming together. It is wonderful Mayor Breed has found the resources to make Graduation for All a reality for the Class of 2021.”

A graduation ceremony schedule is posted on the SFUSD website.

Jerold Chinn

Jerold serves as a reporter and San Francisco Bureau Chief for SFBay covering transportation and occasionally City Hall and the Mayor's Office in San Francisco. His work on transportation has been recognized by the San Francisco Press Club. Born and raised in San Francisco, he graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in journalism. Jerold previously wrote for the San Francisco Public Press, a nonprofit, noncommercial news organization. When not reporting, you can find Jerold taking Muni to check out new places to eat in the city.