Union City High School graduation will proceed as planned

UNION CITY, TN -- Graduation commencement ceremonies for the Union City High School Class of 2020 will be held as originally scheduled.

The commencement will be on May 16, at 8 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium. 

UCHS principal Jacob Cross made the call today, with approval from Director of Schools Wes Kennedy and Union City School Board. 

Cross says the decision was based on Gov. Bill Lee's Monday announcement that he would allow the COVID-19 stay-at-home order to expire April 30. 

However, Cross says the graduation event will be modified with social distancing guidelines that are expected to remain in place across the state. 

Each of the 91 graduates will get six tickets for family members. 

Cross says families will be seated in assigned seats on the football field with distancing regulations in place. A diagram of the seating arrangement will be sent to each student in the coming days. 

Cross also announced a tentative date of June 20 for prom, with more details coming in the weeks ahead. 

Additionally, awards day has been canceled, but the Top 10, valedictorian, salutatorian and local scholarship winners will be announced on the school's website and other social media on May 8. 

The giveaway car, donated by City Auto Plex, for perfect attendance will be announced in the coming days, as well. 

Cross and the other administrators have made plans to close the rest of the 2020 school year:

Union City High School 

• All textbooks and other school property needs to be returned to the lobby of the high school between 8 a.m. and noon, Monday through Thursday. 

  • There will be tables set up in the lobby for students to drop off these items. Students must have their name on their stack, and Post-It notes will be ready for labeling. All other outstanding fees must be paid and this must be taken care of by May 1. 

• Senior information sheets need to be submitted and guidance counselor Susan Searcy must be informed of where to send each senior's final transcript. 

• Updates on graduation, cap and gown pick up, and tickets will be emailed to each student. 

• Credit recovery will be held July 13-24. 

Union City Middle School 

• All textbooks and other school property needs to be returned to the lobby of the high school between 8 a.m. and noon, Monday through Thursday. 

  • There will be tables set up in the lobby for students to drop off these items. Students must have their name on their stack, and Post-It notes will be ready for labeling. All other outstanding fees must be paid and this must be taken care of by May 1. 

• Credit recovery will be held July 13-24. 

Union City Elementary School 

• Parents are asked to pick up student materials or return school property from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday, April 24. This process will be based on student's daily drop-off and pick-up stations.

• Pre-K parents will pick-up and drop-off in the UCES buss circle.

• Kindergarten through 2nd grade parents will pick-up and drop-off at the K through 2nd grade car line drop-off location. 

• Grades 3 through 4 will pick-up and drop-off at the 3rd through 4th grade car line drop-off location.

• After Friday, any and all pick-ups and drop-offs will need to take place after June 1 in the UCES front office. 

• Each student will be given a book from the Book Fair along with their report card. 

• The dates for Camp ROCK are July 13 through the 24.