[ May 21, 2021 ] Pickens High School Class of 2021 Graduation will be held Friday, May 21, 2021 at 7 pm at Dragon Stadium. Below are plans with an option for indoor in case of inclement weather.

OUDOOR PLAN

Date: Friday, May 21st, 2021

Place: Dragon Stadium @ 500 Dragon Drive | Jasper, GA 30143

Access to Dragon Drive (Campus Opens): 4:30 p.m.

Graduates Report: 4:30-5:00 p.m. to New Gym/PAC entry.

Event Time: 7:00 p.m. (Access to PHS Stadium begins at 5:00 p.m.)

Tickets: No limit on number of guests, unless weather forces this event indoors.

Parking: Graduating at night creates a few logistical and safety issues that must be addressed. Among the most important of these issues is parking. We have worked closely with the Pickens County Sheriff?s Office to devise an effective and efficient plan to ensure the safety of our guests is our top priority. Multiple shuttling options, traffic flow plans and parking strategies have all been considered. The plan to create the best and safest experience possible for our guests includes:

o Parking alongside Dragon Drive will not be allowed for this event. Returning to vehicles in the dark on an unlighted road poses a significant danger to our guests.
o We have enough space to park three cars per graduate on campus. Therefore, each graduate will receive three parking passes for them and their family to access Dragon Drive on May 21st beginning at 4:30 p.m. We realize that this may take some forethought and planning on the part of the families.
o Parking passes should be displayed on the dash (driver?s side) upon entering Dragon Drive. Cars attempting to enter without a pass will be directed to a shuttle location. This pass should be visible in each vehicle throughout the event.
o Guests will also have the option of utilizing shuttles to access this event. The following locations will offer a parking area and air-conditioned school bus shuttle options for our guests:

Pickens Junior High School: The bus shuttles will load on the gym side of the school and will leave at 5:15 and 6:00 p.m. headed to the PHS Stadium.
Chattahoochee Technical College: The bus shuttles will load at the front entry of the school (parking lot at Burnt Mountain Rd. and Pioneer Rd.) will leave at 5:15 and 6:00 pm p.m. headed to the PHS Stadium.
Royston, LLC: The bus shuttles will load at the main parking lot. A tent will be set-up at the loading area and will leave at 5:15 and 6:00 p.m. headed to the PHS Stadium.

INDOOR PLAN

Date: Friday, May 21st, 2021

Place: PHS Gymnasium @ 500 Dragon Drive | Jasper, GA 30143

Campus Opens: 5:00 p.m.

Graduates Report: 5:00 p.m. at Main Entrance/Old Gym.

Event Time: 7:00 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)

Tickets: Each graduate will receive four guest tickets for the PHS Gym and two guest tickets for the PAC. In the PAC, the event will be live-streamed and the graduates will walk through the PAC (from the Gym) after receiving their diploma. All guests will be required to present a ticket upon entering the event. Graduates will be given the allotted number of tickets for their guests at the mandatory graduation practice.

Parking: Graduating at night creates a few logistical and safety issues that must be addressed. Among the most important of these issues is parking. We have worked closely with the Pickens County Sheriff?s Office to devise an effective and efficient plan to ensure the safety of our guests is our top priority. Multiple shuttling options, traffic flow plans and parking strategies have all been considered. The plan to create the best and safest experience possible for our guests includes:

o Parking alongside Dragon Drive will not be allowed for this event. Returning to vehicles in the dark on an unlighted road poses a significant danger to our guests.
o We have enough space to park three cars per graduate on campus. Therefore, each graduate will receive three parking passes for them and their family to access Dragon Drive on May 21st beginning at 4:30 p.m. We realize that this may take some forethought and planning on the part of the families.
o Parking passes should be displayed on the dash (driver?s side) upon entering Dragon Drive. Cars entering without a pass will be directed to a shuttle location. This pass should be visible in each vehicle throughout the event.
o Guests will also have the option of utilizing shuttles to access this event. The following locations will offer a parking area and air-conditioned school bus shuttle options for our guests:

Pickens Junior High School: The bus shuttles will load on the gym side of the school and will leave at 5:15 and 6:00 p.m. headed to the PHS Stadium.
Chattahoochee Technical College: The bus shuttles will load at the front entry of the school (parking lot at Burnt Mountain Rd. and Pioneer Rd.) will leave at 5:15 and 6:00 p.m. headed to the PHS Stadium.
Royston, LLC: The bus shuttles will load at the main parking lot. A tent will be set-up at the loading area and will leave at 5:15 and 6:00 p.m. headed to the PHS Stadium.

It is our duty and responsibility to make this event as safe as possible. Our hope is to have this traditional graduation ceremony outside at our stadium. That is what we are planning for. If the weather does not look favorable to do so, we will move to the indoor plan. This decision will be made no later than 4:00 p.m. on Friday, May 21st, 2021.

Thank you for doing your part in pledging to assist us in making this a safe and memorable event for the Pickens High School Class of 2021!