Most private schools’ graduations limit attendance, mandate masks

Graduation season for Hawaii’s private schools kicks off this week, and most are limiting guests and asking attendees to wear protective masks indoors over worries about rising COVID-19 cases.

The state Department of Health’s latest COVID-19 guidance recommends indoor masking for all K-12 schools as part of a layered mitigation strategy. The guidance is not a mandate, though; each private school determines its own policies, while considering the rules and layout of each venue.

Hawaii’s public schools launched its series of graduation ceremonies with Mili­lani High School’s commencement exercises Monday at Stan Sheriff Center.

Here’s a look at commencement exercises for some of the state’s major private schools, in alphabetical order:

Damien Memorial School: 12:30 p.m. today at Hawai‘i Convention Center. Ticket required to attend. Social distancing and masks are required.

Hawaii Baptist Academy: 1 p.m June 4 at Hawai‘i Convention Center. Each graduate will receive 15 guest tickets. Masks are required. The graduation will also be streamed live.

‘Iolani School: 5 p.m. June 4 on campus. Admission to the ceremony is by ticket only; each graduate will receive 10 tickets, and guests will be seated in “pods.” No COVID-19 restrictions for the outdoor ceremony. Possible rules for lei-giving afterward were pending.

Kamehameha Schools:

>> Maui campus: 5:30 p.m. May 27 at Kana‘iaupuni Stadium on campus. A ticket from the graduate is required for entry. Attendees will be seated by household. Masks are recommended but not required since the event is outdoors.

>> Kapalama campus: 4 p.m. May 29 at Neal S. Blaisdell Arena. A ticket from the graduate is required for entry. All attendees are asked to wear a face mask while indoors.

>> Hawaii island campus: 4 p.m. May 28 at Koai‘a Gymnasium on campus. Admission to campus and the ceremony is limited to those with tickets. Individuals must have a ticket to come onto campus on that day. Masks are required indoors. Distancing is encouraged between ohana bubbles. Additional seating on campus to watch a livestream of the ceremony also will be offered for ticketed guests as an option. The livestream will also be available on Kamehameha’s YouTube channel.

Le Jardin Academy: 6 p.m. May 28 at soccer field on campus. Each graduate is limited to 10 guests. Masks are not required since event is outdoors and each graduate’s guests will have a separate section.

Mid-Pacific Institute: 5 p.m. May 28 at soccer field on campus. Each senior will be given 11 tickets. Only ticket holders will be allowed on campus, even for the post-ceremony celebrations. Masks are highly recommended, especially for the lei-giving following the ceremony, the school said.

Maryknoll School: 5:30 p.m. June 3 at Blaisdell Arena. Each graduating senior has a minimum of 10 tickets for guests but may earn more through satisfactory attendance at graduation practice. Masks strongly suggested throughout the event. Lei-giving only for ticketed guests.

Punahou School: 7 p.m. June 4 at Stan Sheriff Center. Each graduate limited to 10 guest tickets for the indoor ceremony. Masks are required indoors for ticketed guests. Lei-giving afterward in Les Murakami Stadium is open; masks will be strongly encouraged. Masking rules for students during ceremony are still being determined.