Archer Senior Information

Dear Class of 2021,

We are pleased to inform you that graduation will be held at SHS Pat Walker Performing Arts Center Friday, May 14th. There will be modifications to the ceremony so that we can abide by the guidelines set forth by the Arkansas Department of Health and Springdale Public Schools. Here are some of the details about the guidelines that we will need to follow.

• There will be two separate ceremonies at 6:00 PM and 7:30 PM.

• Each ceremony will be less than an hour.

• Students will be assigned to a ceremony based on their last name.

• Each ceremony will be capped at approximately 125 graduates.

• All music will be pre-recorded.

• To adhere to the guidelines, graduates will check in on the east side of the Performing Arts Center and line up in a designated area. Families must wait at the front entrance.

• Graduates will be formally dismissed at the close of the ceremony and exit towards the back exits. The audience will immediately exit the auditorium once the graduates have completely exited.

• Each graduate will receive a maximum of 6 tickets for their guests to attend.

• Families will be required to have all members of the party present in order to be seated.

• All guests will be expected to follow ADH guidelines

We plan to send additional information in April outlining more specifics for each event. Plans are subject to change at the discretion of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Arkansas Department of Health, and/or Springdale Public Schools.

Sincerely,

Dr. Coby Davis

Principal

Archer Learning Center

Cap and Gown will be distributed at school April 27 and 28. Balfour will work with Archer Learning Center to coordinate the on-campus distribution.

Note: Graduation is a formal event, and no decorating of caps or gowns is permitted. Attire must be appropriate and follow guidelines set forth by Archer Learning Center.

Graduation Cords and Stoles

April 30th is the final day of school for seniors that are in good academic standing and that have met all of the requirements needed for graduation. Seniors that have not met all of the requirements for graduation should plan to attend school five days a week beginning May 3rd. (If your student does not meet the deadline, approval is needed from Dr. Davis to receive an extension). Please note: if your student is at risk of not graduating, I would strongly encourage your student to begin attending school five days a week beginning immediately.

Due to ADH guidelines, the traditional Archer Senior Breakfast will look different this year. The focus will be to recognize students that have earned awards and scholarships. The event is scheduled for Friday, May 7th at 9:00am.

Due to the need to practice social distancing, we will hold the event in the Archer gymnasium. Unfortunately, we are unable to accommodate any family members during the ceremony. The event will be live streamed, so families can still participate.

Tickets for graduations will be distributed April 27 & 28 during cap and gown pick-up.

Face coverings are required by all students and guests. Students will wear cap and gown during the assembly.

Graduation practice will be May 7th and will take place in the Archer gymnasium following the Senior Celebration from 9:00am until noon. Attending graduation practice is required to participate in the graduation ceremony. We will send out more details about graduation practice as we get closer to the date.

Commencement Exercises honoring the graduating Class of 2021 will be held on May 14 at Pat Walker Performing Arts Center. Based on directives provided by the Springdale Public Schools, we will hold two graduation ceremonies. Below is the schedule that we will observe.

May 14 @ 6:00 pm - Graduates with Last Names (A-?)

May 14 @ 7:30 pm - Graduates with Last Names (?-Z)

Due to space restrictions, Springdale Public Schools has indicated that each graduate will be allocated six (6) tickets. These tickets may be distributed to friends and family. We will distribute tickets April 27 & 28..

Graduation will look different than in the past. When students arrive, they will be escorted to a designated waiting area. Families will be able to sit together in areas marked at Pat Walker Performing Arts Center. Archer staff will escort families to their assigned seating. Families will only be seated when all of their party is present. After a brief program, students will be called to receive their diploma cover and obtain a photograph.

Face coverings are required by all graduates and guests.

Note: Graduation is a formal event, and no decorating of caps or gowns is permitted. Attire must be appropriate and follow guidelines set forth in the Senior Packet.

Archer will not hand out diplomas after the Commencement Exercises. Diplomas will be ready for pickup on Tuesday, May 18. It is important that your student has returned his/her Chromebook, paid for or returned their Archer graduation stole and paid all fees/fines. Otherwise, a diploma will not be issued.

Archer Learning Center will be hosting a green carpet semi-formal prom event on Friday, April 30th, from 7:00-10:00 pm. This event will be free of charge; however, it is limited only to Archer seniors (although seniors may choose to bring Archer underclassmen as a date, in which case permission will be required in advance from the main office). No non-Archer students are allowed to attend.

A green carpet event where students can dress up, get their picture taken, and enjoy a nice meal with appropriate distancing and safety protocols. Students will enter at the main door where they’ll have an opportunity for a photo. After pictures they will grab prepackaged food that can be enjoyed in the gym. The gym will include a DJ and appropriate decorations. All students will exit from the north gym doors.