Pocatello-Chubbuck School District 25 will move three of its forthcoming high school graduation celebrations back into Idaho State University’s Holt Arena, and American Falls School District 381 will lift attendance limitations for its commencement ceremony.

A year after COVID-19 forced major changes to local graduation customs, administrators from the two districts are restoring a bit of normalcy in their planning. A couple of tweaks to tradition forced by COVID-19 will be retained in American Falls by popular demand.

District 25 officials announced in a Monday press release that Century, Pocatello and Highland high schools will move ceremonies back into Holt Arena. Last year, each school hosted its own drive-thru motor vehicle parade, seeking to minimize the potential for COVID-19 transmission.

Providing organizers greater flexibility this year is the fact that people who are at least 16 years old are now eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

New Horizon High School will host its graduation outdoors at 6 p.m. on May 26 at the Portneuf Wellness Complex.

The Century graduation is scheduled for noon on May 27. Pocatello High’s graduation will be at 3 p.m. on May 27. Highland’s graduation will begin at 6 p.m. on May 27.

Rehearsals are scheduled for 2 p.m. May 26 at Holt Arena for Century, 7 a.m. May 27 at Holt Arena for Pocatello High and 9 a.m. May 27 at Holt Arena for Highland.

The New Horizon rehearsal will be May 26 at the Portneuf Wellness Complex at a time to be determined.

The district will require face coverings for all graduates and guests for the duration of the ceremony. Seats will be assigned to accommodate physical distancing, and guests will be expected to remain in assigned seats.

A group of four reserved seats will be randomly assigned for each graduate; tickets must be picked up no later than May 21.

American Falls High School moved its graduation outdoors last spring due to COVID-19, with limited attendance. American Falls School District 381 Superintendent Randy Jensen said families liked having the ceremony outdoors, so the district is planning another outdoor ceremony for May 28. It will be hosted in the stadium at J.R. Simplot Elementary School, where American Falls plays its football games.

Prior to last year’s ceremony, graduation had always been held indoors at the high school gymnasium. In the event of bad weather, Jensen said the ceremony will be moved indoors and each graduate will receive six tickets. There will be no cap on guests if it’s hosted outside.

Graduates will be seated in the stands, and guests will be seated on the field.

“We’ll be really excited to have a really nice outdoor celebration with lots of people there to celebrate our seniors graduating,” Jensen said.

Jensen said the high school hosted a parade through town following last spring’s graduation to allow the community to participate amid the pandemic. It was so popular it will be hosted again this year, Jensen said.

Marsh Valley School District 21 also did a parade following graduation last spring. There were fireworks, and students participated in their vehicles — and a few were on horseback.

Marsh Valley High School Principal Jeff Lords said this year’s plans will be similar to last spring’s celebration. Students will drive up to a podium, where they’ll get out of their car and walk across the stage to receive a diploma and be photographed. Spectators will set up lawn chairs outside of the high school to view the ceremony.

“We will try to keep it as normal as possible,” Lords said.