Johnston County Public Schools has developed a detailed plan to mark senior milestones, including prom and graduation, while adhering to guidance from the Johnston County Public Health Department and the CDC in regards to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
All high schools will participate in a single graduate format to comply with the governor’s current executive order. Schools may have an outdoor drive through graduation format, or they may have an inside graduation format where each student has a scheduled window of time for their commencement.
Unless the governor updates his executive order by April 30, JCPS will maintain its current graduation plan. The scheduled graduation dates will remain the same regardless of any changes to the current executive order.
The current dates for 2021 High School Commencement Ceremonies are as follows:
| Clayton High School | Drive through Tuesday, June 1 Wednesday, June 2 |
| Cleveland High School | Drive through Tuesday, June 1 Wednesday, June 2 |
| Corinth Holders High School | Drive through Tuesday, June 1 Wednesday, June 2 |
| Johnston County CTLA | Drive through Saturday, May 15 |
| Johnston County ECA | Drive through Friday, May 14 |
| North Johnston High School | Drive through Tuesday, June 1 Wednesday, June 2 |
| Princeton Middle/High | Drive through Tuesday, June 1 |
| Smithfield-Selma High School | Drive through Tuesday, June 1 Wednesday, June 2 |
| South Johnston High School | Drive through Tuesday, June 1 |
| West Johnston High School | Drive through Tuesday, June 1 |
In regards to prom, in order to keep students and staff members safe, JCPS must follow guidance set forth by the CDC and Governor Roy Cooper. Prom 2021 planning must adhere to the following:
- Prom must be held in an outside area (parking lot or other outside venue)
- All attendees must abide by CDC guidelines and safety protocols, including wearing masks, following social distancing, utilizing hand sanitizing stations, etc.
- Each prom will accommodate 100 students per time slot or per outside venue. This does not include staff and event personnel.
- Seniors will be the only students who are permitted to attend prom this year, with the exception of each senior being allowed to bring one guest.
- Based on current orders from the governor prom must end by 10:00 p.m.
Each school will communicate specific details in regards to their prom schedule.
-JCPS Release
Too many milestones have been missed already, cooper please back off!!!
The graduation is a good plan but the prom? Are you kidding? 100 kids at a time and you expect them to social distance, not going to happen! Teachers were having a bad time as it was controlling kids in there class. I do not have the answer but this idea for prom is crazy.
These kids are having get togethers of their own. Just like last year, parents hosted their own prom for the class of 2020. Now it may not have been the same scale size as if it had been at the school.