Graduation Ceremonies for the Class of 2020 were held on the Ursuline campus on Sunday, June 28, at 9:00 a.m.

The modified outdoor event incorporated as many of the time-honored elements of Ursuline Graduation as possible, while meeting state, county, and local requirements for social distancing and other measures as required to assure health and safety of all participants.

The Ceremony

• The Graduation Ceremony was scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. The early morning start time was determined in anticipation of the expected summer heat.
• All graduates and every guest were required to bring their signed waiver and screening forms (2) to enter campus. 
• At the entrance gate, everyone in each car had their temperatures taken. If anyone in the car had a temperature of 100.4 or higher, the entire car would have had to go home. This would include the graduate in the car.
• All parking was be on campus. Parking passes were mailed with the seating tickets to the graduate’s primary home. View parking map. View seating map. 
• Parents were asked to drop off their graduates by 8:15 a.m. at the Senior Entrance. 

Guests

• Admission to Graduation was by ticket only. Each graduate received two guest admission tickets and one parking pass. 
• Guest seating was numbered and assigned by lottery. Guest groups of two were seated six feet apart and asked to remain in their seats to maintain social distancing. Seating maps were made available upon arrival on campus.
• Due to necessary restrictions on the size of gathering, no additional guest seating or handicapped seating tickets were available. 
• For the safety of everyone, all guests were required to bring their own masks to wear when moving about during the Graduation event. Hand sanitizer was provided to all guests.
• Restroom facilities were NOT be available during the Graduation event.

Graduates

• Graduates were asked to arrive on campus by 8:15 a.m. and enter the school building through the Senior Entrance near the flagpole (not the Rotunda). 
• Graduates were asked to eat breakfast prior to arriving to campus.
• Graduates arrived completely dressed and ready for the ceremony. (No purses or cell phones were allowed inside the building.)
• After entering the school, the graduates picked up their hats from Room 133 or 135. Once they had their hat, they moved to their chair. The chairs were spaced more than six-feet apart around the entire school, in order. Roses were placed under their chairs.
• Specially configured risers allowed graduates to sit six feet apart for the ceremony.
• Graduates were given masks to wear for their protection while inside the building, which they could remove as they process out of the building. They were asked to place the masks back on for rejoining their families after completion of the ceremony and as they leave the bleachers at the end of the event.
• Exit procedures included the students leaving one row at a time, directly to their cars. Parents were dismissed to meet them once their daughter’s row has left.

Photography

• The entire Graduation Ceremony was live-streamed and available for viewing on www.ursulinedallaslive.org. Streaming began 30 minutes before the ceremony starts.
• Parents were asked to please remain in their assigned seating to take photos. You may take photos from your seat. Professional photos of each graduate and a video of the ceremony will be available for purchase.
• Judy Nordseth Photography took high resolution digital images of each senior walking out the door and of their curtsy. Additionally, through the magic of green screen technology they photographed each girl individually and will combine the photos to create a class picture. The order form is available on the Ursuline website. 
• Strong Audio-Visual Production will produce a video of the ceremony. The order form is available on the Ursuline website.

A Virtual Baccalaureate Awards Ceremony for the Class of 2020 was held online on Saturday, June 27, at 10:30 a.m.