Parents, family members and spectators planning to attend today’s Gilroy High School graduation ceremony for the Class of 2013 will not be sitting in the bleachers inside the football stadium.
Instead, GHS staff have been preparing the recently-renovated quad area, now known as Centennial Circle, for the ceremonies after the bleachers were deemed “not structurally sound” to seat the crowd. The first six rows are considered safe, but not enough to accommodate families and friends of the 341 graduates.
The graduation ceremony starts at 5 p.m.
Two middle school promotion ceremonies (South Valley and Ascencion Solorsano) held earlier this week at GHS have come with rave reviews from community members, according to GHS Athletic Director Julie Berggren.
“I’ve heard really great reviews,” said Berggren, who was still helping to set up the quad area early this morning for the 2013 graduation ceremony. “It looks like a really giant concert in the park.”
Solorsano principal Maria Walker said the change in venue really made parents and family members feel more a part of the ceremony because they were situated closer to the students and the stage than in previous years in the stadium.
“It felt like a true community, a Solorsano community,” said Walker, who is in her second year as principal at the middle school and 25th year with Gilroy Unified School District. “It’s a beautiful venue.”
Solorsano had 366 students participate in its promotion ceremony at GHS. Walker said every one of them “were very well behaved” and there was “plenty of room out there.” She especially enjoyed the setting of the Centennial Circle, which has trees scattered about to provide some shade and made for better acoustics during the speeches.
“I liked it better than in the stadium,” said Walker, praising the efforts of the district staff, particularly Superintendent Debbie Flores who rushed to rent thousands of fold-out chairs for all in attendance. “The whole district really came together (to make the event run smoothly).”
Berggren said 3,000 white chairs were delivered last week to be set up for graduates and spectators. Students will come out of the library, walk down Memorial Grove path and sit down in the front section of chairs facing the gymnasium. Those in attendance will be situated behind the graduates in what Berggren described as “amphitheater style seating.”
“(The idea of moving the ceremony to the quad) had been thrown around since the beginning of the year,” said Berggren. “I think there’s been so many really great reviews about this venue I don’t know if it’s going to go back (to the football stadium).”
There will be three entry points for visitors: Through the gate in the rear parking lot by the football stadium and gymnasium; into the parking lot at the front of the high school on 10th Street; and through the gate off Princevalle.
