SILVER CREEK — Silver Creek Central School district’s administrative team, led by Superintendent Todd Crandall, announced adjustments to the programs the school is holding the rest of the year, as well as updates to social distancing requirements.

In the middle and high schools, Silver Creek was not able to reduce from the 6 feet distancing requirements, but in the elementary school, the change in guidance has been permitted, which will allow additional students to return to the classrooms.

“Our hope has been since August, to get as many students as we can into the elementary building,” said Elementary School Principal Sterling Stearns. “We’ve been clear since the summer work in August and September, that for elementary students, the best place for learning is in person.”

The elementary students can distance at a space of 3 feet in the classrooms, though adults must maintain the 6 feet distance, and the students must maintain 6 feet social distancing when eating. On top of that, students and adults must have 6 feet between them, and masks must be worn at all times, unless outdoors, and socially distanced. The middle and high schools, however, can’t keep the same students in the same classroom all day like the elementary school can, meaning that social distancing has to remain at six feet.

“Our inability to cohort students throughout the day, meaning they would stay together the entire day, since we’re unable to do that, we have to maintain six feet of social distancing” said high school Principal Tom Buczkowski. “That’s why student-population wise, we’re not making any changes.”

As for events scheduled as the year draws to an end, they will be limited to 100 people indoors, or 200 people outdoors. These numbers can be exceeding provided certain stipulations, such as verifying the vaccination records of the guests, or the guests would have to provide a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of the event, or provide proof of a positive COVID-19 test within the last 90 days, while also providing proof of treatment.

“Those are pretty heavy parameters for a school to manage,” Buczkowski said.

Buczkowski added the school is working on what they’re calling “Not Prom,” as it will function differently than a traditional prom, due to distancing requirements.

“There’s going to be a mixture of things offered to students in grades 11 and 12,” Buczkowski said. “There will be food, games, and dancing, but there will obviously be limitations to everything we’re allowed to do.”

The “Not Prom” will be scheduled for June 5 at 6 p.m., and will be at the school, while Silver Creek is also working on the schools’ Class Night, scheduled for June 11, and graduation, scheduled for June 25.

“Class night will be a singular event, and will be a drive-in style like we did last year in our parking lot by the elementary school,” Buczkowski said. “We’ll be allowed to go over the 200 person limit because people will be confined to their cars. We have a large inflatable screen and we’ll be able to show the class night video, in addition to other things.”

“For graduation, we’ll be doing two ceremonies,” Buczkowski added. “We have to split the class up into two. We’ll be doing ceremonies at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. That will allow us to have four guests per student. If we stay at 200 or less people for Graduation, we don’t have to verify vaccination and we don’t have to have proof of a negative test. We’re looking forward to having those events in person.”

Graduation and Class Night will both have tentative rain dates, with the 12, 18 and 19 of June serving as the rain dates for Class Night, and Graduation will have the backup dates of the 26, 27, or the 28 of June, should there be a bad stretch of weather. Graduation and Class Night will also be live streamed on Facebook Live.

The Middle School also has events going on, with the Middle School Play scheduled for May 20 and 21. Tickets will go on sale, but the capacity will be limited to 100 people, but the play may also be live streamed, though that is not set in stone. On June 2, there will be a band and chorus concert at the football field, which will also include the High School concert, with more information coming from the Silver Creek Music Department soon. Eighth grade moving up day will be held as well, using three separate sessions, all scheduled for June 24.