Marshalltown High School leaders continue to prepare for commencement, which is planned outdoors at Leonard Cole Field at MHS for May 24, as the Roundhouse will not be available due to construction.
Outdoor ceremony plans
The ceremony will begin at the MHS football complex at 2:30 p.m. with gates at the field opening at 1 p.m. and graduates need to report by 1:30 p.m. to the MHS cafeteria.
Visitors will sit in the home bleachers on the south side of the stadium. Graduates are asked to wear comfortable shoes (no high heels) as they will walk from the MHS cafeteria to the field (before the ceremony) and back to the cafeteria (after the ceremony).
The MHS campus and the parking lots will open at 1 p.m. and the area should only be accessed by those visiting for graduation. Bobcat Boulevard will not be open to through traffic from noon to 5 p.m. on graduation day.
Plans for indoor ceremony if needed
In the case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the Student Activity Center on the campus of Marshalltown Community College. In this case, due to space, students will be allowed three total tickets each for family members and other visitors inside the Student Activity Center and others without tickets can watch the ceremony via closed circuit television in the nearby Babe Harder Gymnasium. Graduates are expected to report to the MCC student union by 1:30 p.m. if the ceremony is held at MCC.
Students will receive their tickets at graduation rehearsal on Friday, May 22 and the tickets should be brought by visitors no matter which location is chosen (just in the rare case the venue has to be moved indoors during the ceremony).
Notification of change in location if needed
Weather forecasts will be monitored the days leading up to graduation by MHS personnel. Should a location change occur, notification will be posted on the district website, Facebook and Twitter pages, and local media will be notified. If it is warranted, emails and phone calls could also be made to families.
A preliminary decision on moving the location of graduation to MCC will be made by noon on Thursday, May 21. If changing weather dictates, a decision could be made to move from Leonard Cole Field to MCC by 8 a.m. May 24 (the day of graduation).
School personnel would like to thank the public for their understanding of this unique situation.
