Report was updated at 1:45 p.m. with new announcement on August 10 of NO GUESTS.
UPDATE: Framingham Health Director “Dr. (Sam) Wong has asked us to reduce the number of participants in the gathering in light of the Governor’s recommendation on group gatherings, even though education is among the exemptions. As a result of Dr. Wong’s strong recommendation, the high school administration has proposed that graduation be limited to students only (no guests) apart from designated speakers,” said the Superintendent of Schools in a email to School Committee members, the Mayor, and administration today.
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FRAMINGHAM – Yesterday, August 7, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker announced starting Tuesday, August 11, outdoor gatherings in the Commonwealth would be limited to 50 people, down from 100 individuals.
The lone exceptions to that rule is high school graduation ceremonies and protests.
On Wednesday, members of the Class of 2020 will participate in a graduation ceremony outside at Bowditch Field. The event is not open to the public, and is invitation only. The rain date is Thursday.
Superintendent of Schools Bob Tremblay told SOURCE Friday night, the ceremony is still on.
“It was vetted with the Framingham Board of Health, and Health Director Dr. Sam Wong signed off on it,” said Tremblay.
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“Face coverings for all graduates and guests will be required,” said Tremblay. “If you show up without a face covering, you will not be allowed in.”
There are more than 450 members of the Class of 2020 expected to participate in the event.
“This is one opportunity for closure for the class of 2020,” said Tremblay. “They have been waiting so long for this. Some of them are headed to college. Some are going to college remotely, and some are taking a gap year. It is our intention, with Dr. Wong’s approval, to give the class that closure.”
Tremblay stressed he did not want to see hugs between graduates and he wants everyone to be super vigilent and try to remain 6 feet apart.
“We don’t want to be the reason for a spike in cases,” he added.
This year’s graduation won’t look like the graduations of the last 5 or 10 years.
There will be no processional.
No one will be in the stands at Bowditch Field.
UPDATED: Graduates will sit — 6-feet apart — on the football field.
Diplomas may be place in bags to avoid additional contact. Diplomas will be on tables and will not be handed to students.
There will be staggering arrivals and departures so as to minimize contact.
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Mayor Yvonne Spicer and Framingham High Principal Carolyn Banach will be speaking. Framingham Superintendent Tremblay said he will not speak.
School Committee Chair Adam Freudberg will not speak this year. Instead he has yielded his time to District 3 School Committee member Scott Wadland, who has twin daughters in the class of 2020.
There will also be a couple of class speakers. Traditionally, the class president speaks.
SOURCE will be attendance to take photos, like we have since the news site launched.
Saint Bridget School 
MassBay Community College