ITHACA, N.Y. — High school seniors at Ithaca High School (IHS) will have to wait an additional day to graduate due to weather conditions, according to an announcement from the Ithaca City School District (ICSD). The soon-to-be grads were originally scheduled to receive their diplomas Monday in a series of outdoor ceremonies at the school’s Moresco Stadium.
The National Weather Service predicts scattered showers and breezy conditions throughout the day on Monday, with the chance of rain around 40% and winds around 16 miles per hour.
While conditions are perhaps less than ideal for IHS’s graduation ceremony, other Ithaca residents may find today’s weather a welcome reprieve from a nearly weeklong heat wave.
Weather conditions on Tuesday are predicted to be fairer, albeit slightly warmer and more humid. District officials said the ceremony may be moved indoors to the high school’s Kulp Auditorium if Tuesday’s forecast changes unexpectedly.
Should the ceremony be moved indoors, students will only be allowed to have four guests each. There is no restriction on guests if the ceremony is held outdoors as planned.
The ceremony will also be livestreamed on the district’s YouTube channel.
Graduation ceremonies for Lehman Alternative Community School (LACS) will not be affected by the change. LACS graduation ceremonies are scheduled for Tuesday at the school’s outdoor amphitheater.
Update 12:22 p.m.: A previous version of this story used a lower resolution image of a 2015 IHS graduation that was incorrectly attributed.
Additional details about graduation events for Ithaca High School grads and their guests are available online here.