EL MONTE – El Monte City School District will celebrate the promotion of 975 eighth-graders in the Class of 2020 through a mix of lawn signs, banners and virtual ceremonies that will be streamed via YouTube from Tuesday, June 2 through Friday, June 5.

In addition, the District will celebrate advancing sixth-graders through montage videos and kindergarteners through Google Class presentations.

“Our virtual ceremonies and other measures will show our students just how much their success at El Monte City means to us, how proud we are of them and our excitement for what they will achieve in the coming years,” Superintendent Dr. Maribel Garcia said.

Each promoting eighth-grader will receive a lawn sign. A congratulation banner will be displayed at their schools.

Pre-recorded virtual ceremonies will include introductions from each school’s principal, patriotic exercises, student speeches, musical performances, a reading of student names, photos of students, a speech by members of the Board of Education, student awards, and a presentation and acceptance of the class. They will end with a photo montage.

Sixth-graders will have their names posted on their school marquees, a banner listing their names, a recorded video montage of their school pictures with messages from teachers and principal, and a certificate of their promotion. They will also receive a Student CARE package that includes crayons, pencils, ruler, stapler, scissors and other supplies.

El Monte City schools have been engaged in remote online instruction since mid-March as part of efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. During that time, school leaders have conducted a campaign of outreach to ensure students know their schools care about them even if they can’t be in class together.

Garcia said the virtual promotions continue to abide with social distancing, ensuring students are recognized for their accomplishments.

“Every student deserves a moment of celebration, to know that their efforts are seen and appreciated,” Garcia said. “This is more important than ever now, when we are all physically separate.”