Graduates toss their hats in the air at last year's Suwannee High commencement ceremony. The graduates will be spaced further apart this year to comply with social distancing guidelines.

LIVE OAK — Graduation at Branford High and Suwannee High will continue as scheduled for the end of May.

While the time of the ceremonies and the format they will follow have not been finalized, Branford High graduation will still occur May 29 with the Suwannee High commencement slated for May 30.

“Graduations will occur on their previously scheduled dates,” Superintendent of Schools Ted Roush said. “There will be some alternations as to the time of day.”

Janene Fitzpatrick, the district’s assistant superintendent for instruction, added the format also may be changed.

Other than those dates remaining set, Roush said much of the plans are still up in the air as officials await further guidance on what will and what won’t be permitted moving forward with the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, such as the format the district uses.

He said district officials met with law enforcement and the Department of Health this week for a “brainstorming session” to determine what options are currently available to the district to hold the events.

Roush said he has asked Branford High Principal Terry Huddleston, Suwannee High Principal Ronnie Gray as well as Mary Keen at RIVEROAK Technical College and Angie Stuckey with both Suwannee Virtual School and Suwannee Opportunity School to devise plans under the current restrictions, which could be lifted after the current stay-at-home order expires Thursday.

“We’re hoping that would help shape and inform our decisions as to what we could and could not do,” Roush said of an announcement from DeSantis, which is scheduled to come Wednesday at 5 p.m.

“What’s been frustrating for me is there has been very little communication to no communication from the governor or the Commissioner of Education’s office to local school districts and superintendents by way of what decisions are being made or what decisions are pending. We’re finding out through text messages and through tweets and through Facebook messages that ‘Is this true?’ Or ‘Is that true?’”