Members of Lehighton Area High School’s Class of 2020 will take part in individual diploma presentations at the district’s elementary center on June 5, followed by a motorcade parade throughout town, the district announced Thursday.

“On Friday June 5, 2020, at an appointed time, graduates and their families (no more than two family members) will be safely staged,” the school said in an announcement sent to parents. “When it is their time, they will enter the gymnasium. Each senior will have their name read, walk across the floor in their cap and gown and receive their diploma. Families will witness their graduate receive their diploma and exit the gymnasium together. The next student will then have their name read and so on.”

A Strawbridge photographer will be present to capture each student receiving their diploma. Those pictures will be used to create a virtual ceremony that will show all students receiving their diplomas as well as various commencement speakers. The final version will be shared at a later date with all families and the community via the Lehighton Area High School website.

“We had several different plans proposed,” High School Principal Sue Howland said of the decision. “Ideally, we would have liked to have it at the stadium with students spread the appropriate distance apart like they are doing at the academies, but it just didn’t work out. The majority of parents we spoke to said they wanted to see the students in their cap and gown and getting their diplomas. This became the most logistical and sensible way to do it.”

At 6 p.m., a motorcade parade will take place throughout the Lehighton community with 20 school buses accompanied by local fire and police departments.

The parade route is as follows:

*Leave the Lehighton Area Elementary Center and turn right on Mahoning Street. Then travel North on Beaver Run Road passing the Middle School. Parents may remain in cars in the front lot to watch.

*Then turn right onto Coal Street and proceed to 3rd Street. Turn right on 3rd Street and proceed south all the way to the legion. Proceed on Graver Street going pass the legion parking lot- parents remain in cars.

*Turn northwest on Millway Street (behind legion) to Bridge Street. Turn left on Bridge Street and then go on 4th Street. Proceed north passing the cemetery- parents may remain in cars along this section of the route without disrupting much residential parking.

*Turn left on Iron Street and proceed west to 7th Street.

*Turn left on South 7th Street and proceed to Alum Street and turn right. Proceed one block on Alum to 8th Street.

*Turn right on 8th Street and proceed north passing the Lehighton Borough Recreation Center where there will be parent parking. Continue on 8th street to Mahoning Street.

*Left turn on Mahoning Street passing the lower middle school practice field then left on South 10th (Health Network lab building) to Iron Street.

*From Iron Street turn right on South 9th Street until Union Street.

*Turn right on Union Street entering the Lehighton Area School District parking lots where the parade will disband.

“This route was the best route throughout town allowing for accommodations for parents to park their cars, watch from their cars and have open places to maintain social distancing,” the district’s announcement said.

Families and community members are encouraged to observe and celebrate along the parade route, while appropriately maintaining social distance. There will be eight students per bus to properly socially distance.

“Leon George has been really great working with us for the parade,” Howland said. “We wanted to send the students out with a bang and have something where we could make a lot of noise and give them some sense of closure to their time here.”

Students will receive their graduation time slot and bus assignments in the coming days. Time slots will be in alphabetical order between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.