Colorado Springs high schools make plans for prom and graduation
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- For some Colorado Springs-area high schools, prom and graduation plans are being finalized, with COVID-19 precautions.
Allison Cortez, Public Information Officer for Academy School District 20, tells KRDO that high school proms will be outside, because of the looser COVID-19 restrictions. Also, proms are planned for the beginning of May, so that quarantine windows wouldn't overlap with graduation plans.
The Colorado Springs School, a college-preparatory, day, and international school, also held their prom this April. The school sharing on their Facebook page, "Prior to arriving on campus for prom, parents arranged to take pictures of students at Garden of the Gods to mark the celebratory occasion.' This comes after the pandemic forced Pikes Peak Region schools to cancel prom plans last year.
District 11 officials said they are also envisioning what proms will look like. As of now, timing may be an issue.
"Some of our proms were originally scheduled to be held where it could potentially impact students that are graduating," said Devra Ashby, Chief Communications Officer for District 11. "It was within that fourteen-day quarantine period where if at prom they were exposed or had an outbreak at one of the proms, it would impact our graduation ceremonies and those students would have to quarantine."
Colorado Springs District 11 graduations will be held at Gary Berry Stadium for the Class of 2021.
District officials said many students' parents have graduated from the same stadium themselves, and though the ceremonies are expected to be a nostalgic experience, it still won't be like those pre-covid. But officials are hopeful for some leniency on guidelines compared to last year.
District 11 has around 1,600 seniors graduating this year. Each high school will have its own separate ceremony.
A dress and gown boutique in Colorado Springs, Something New, says they've noticed several excited high schoolers come in looking for prom dresses already this season.
