Dover to honor DHS Class of 2020

DOVER — School and city officials will honor Dover High School’s Class of 2020 Friday with its Green and White Day.

Officials are encouraging DHS seniors and their families to drive through the city from Weeks Crossing down Central Avenue to Durham Road, and finally to the high school between 10 and noon on Friday.

Officials are asking businesses and community members to post green and white decorations – Dover High School’s colors – outside their homes or businesses.

School officials decided to plan the event because this year’s seniors are not going to have a traditional in-person graduation because of the COVID-19 pandemic, DHS Principal Peter Driscoll said this week.

“The school organized this, we initially wanted to have a parade, but then we reached out to the police and fire departments and there was concern about how to keep social distancing,” Driscoll said.

So instead they decided to create a two-hour window “where our students can drive through the community and see all the green and white and people supporting them,” Driscoll said.

When students arrive at the school, they’ll be representatives from the police and fire departments there, along with faculty and staff, Driscoll said.

Asked if he was concerned students arriving at the high school would not practice social distancing, Driscoll said, “You really can’t control that.”

But he added that “we have a very good rapport with our students and if we see them stopping (their cars) we’ll ask them to move on.”

City Manager Mike Joyal said Friday’s event is “just another means of providing recognition to the seniors who are not getting the benefit of having a traditional graduation. ... We can’t do enough to show them we understand, we recognize and we’re proud of all they’ve achieved over 12 years.”

He stressed Friday’s event is “not really intended to be a parade.”

“It’s a window of time to encourage seniors and families to travel down Central Avenue to the high school so residents and businesses can show off their green and white,” Joyal said Wednesday.

He encouraged residents and businesses to put green and white decorations or signs up in front of their businesses and homes.

“We already have signage out in front of City Hall,” he said.

Dover Mayor Robert Carrier said this week he wanted DHS seniors to have an in person graduation, but it just wasn’t possible.

“The world changed,” he said.

The school’s virtual online graduation video will be streamed at 7 p.m. on June 10.

He expressed some concern about Friday’s event, and whether students would practice social distancing.

“I’m not sure how that’s going to happen and how they’re supposed to travel through town,” Carrier said. “There’s 325 graduates.”

He hopes parents and school officials will be able to encourage students to practice social distancing “because the virus is still out there.”

But he acknowledged it’s likely some won’t.

“I know if I was 18 and graduating from high school I’d want to high-five my friends or hug my friends,” he said. “We’re going to monitor it as best as we can and try to explain to people about social distancing, but we’re certainly not going to go out there and start arresting people.”