Putnam Moving Graduation To Tech

After hearing feedback from parents and again asking for help from Tennessee Tech, the Putnam County Schools will hold all three high school graduations at Tucker Stadium.

The dates will be moved back a week to June 12 and 13 with Upperman graduating Friday at 6pm, Cookeville Saturday at 10am, and Monterey Saturday at 4pm. Rain dates are set for June 19 and 20.

“It is not going to be what we imagined, it is disappointing for all of us, but the moment is still going to be there,” School Board Chair Dawn Fry said.

Director of Schools Corby King asked Tech President Phil Oldham early in the process about using Tucker Stadium, but Oldham said no because the Tech campus will be closed through June. Officials looked at all other options but could not find facilities that met the size requirement.

Health officials are requiring six feet between guests and rows must be skipped in bleacher seating. Of the three high schools, only Upperman had even the potential to hold its graduates and four guests per grad under those requirements.

King added health department officials understand the importance of graduation, but remain very concerned about bringing together these large gatherings at a time when the COVID_19 fight continues.

“Our numbers in our community for coronavirus are still rising,” King said.

With Tennessee Tech not an option, school officials announced the plan Wednesday to hold graduations at the Putnam County Fairgrounds.

King said he actually came to like the fairgrounds idea much better after visiting the site Wednesday.

“You have a much better view of the graduates from the fairgrounds than you can ever have at Tucker Stadium,” King said. “You will be able to see your graduate. You will be able to see them on the stage receiving their diploma.”

But many parents countywide voiced displeasure about the fairgrounds following the Wednesday announcement. School Board Member Lynn McHenry shared many of the sentiments expressed until he visited the site Thursday.

“I didn’t think it was a viable option because I didn’t think it was in the condition that we could actually use it,” McHenry said. “The picture in my mind was the dirt, the mud, the bad seating and things like that. But after going there today and looking, it became a viable option.”

King called Oldham Wednesday and got permission to use Tucker Stadium for all three schools if the dates moved back to June 12 and 13. After a field trip to the Fairgrounds Thursday night, school board members said the overall feel at Tucker Stadium outweighed the better view of the graduates.

King cautioned school board members that the use of the stadium does not include the use of the jumbotron facilities which might improve sightlines of guests. School officials will ask Tech officials about that possibility. They will also explore different seating configurations including graduates on the field next to the stage.

There was also concern that Cookeville High School’s graduation at the fairgrounds would require guests to sit behind the graduates on the arena floor.

All three schools will have the same rules in place with only four guests per graduate. Guests with vulnerable health conditions or high-risk groups will be advised to avoid graduation. The school system will stream graduation on its website.

King said it was important that all three schools hold graduation in the same location. Cookeville will graduate 500, Upperman 170 and Monterey 90.