Concerns over the coronavirus have led to another disappointing cancellation for local high school students.
Habersham Central High School principal Jonathan Stribling released a letter Tuesday announcing that this year’s prom, which was rescheduled from May to July 25, has been canceled.
“As upsetting as this news is, I want you to know that this decision was not made lightly and I had hoped we could still hold this memorable event,” Stribling wrote in his letter to students.
He says the decision was made “in accordance with Governor Kemp’s executive orders and out of an abundance of caution for our students, guests, and faculty.”
Habersham Central still plans to hold the other senior events that are scheduled leading up to graduation at the end of July. Those events include a senior cookout and honors programs that Stribling says “can be managed very differently than prom, and I am hopeful each of these events can happen.”
An in-person graduation ceremony is still scheduled to be held at Raider Stadium in Mt. Airy at 8 p.m. on July 31. If a traditional graduation is not possible due to COVID-19 concerns, graduation will take place in a virtual format.
The Habersham County School System is expected to announce on July 16 whether schools will reopen for in-classroom instruction in the fall. The other option is online instruction. Habersham County School Superintendent Matthew Cooper previously said administrators were not considering a hybrid model which would include a mix of the two.
“The only reasonable options for Habersham County are to return to real classrooms with certain guidelines in place or to start the school year with a ‘learning from home’ plan,” Cooper said.
If in-person learning resumes, the school system is considering virtual options for students with serious health issues.
RELATED Georgia parents, teachers face agonizing back-to-school decisions
