New Bremen senior class parade planned

NEW BREMEN - Although the class of 2020 will miss out on many milestones - including prom and commencement - due to the coronavirus pandemic, New Bremen teens will make memories next week when they roll through the village in a senior parade.

The parade will begin at the New Bremen High School parking lot at 6 p.m. Wednesday and wind through village streets before returning to the school. Residents are encouraged to line the parade route to support the seniors.

The rain date is May 8 at the same time.

"It's been a trying time for the seniors, missing their prom, spring sports and live graduation," high school principal Marcus Overman said. "We're scrambling and trying to make sure we honor our seniors for everything they have done for our school and the 13 hard years they have put in."

"Seniors will be driving their own cars or maybe a parent will do the driving," he continued. "It's going to be a slow parade. We will be practicing social distancing techniques to make sure everyone is safe. Students won't be getting out of their cars and congregating."

Overman said he has been working with the seniors, administrators, teachers and officials from other area districts to come up with ideas to honor this year's graduating class.

"I have had online virtual meetings with seniors to share my thoughts and ideas and get their feedback," he said. "I told seniors when I met with them (online) Monday that I encourage them to decorate their vehicles with car window paint and signs just making sure they are school appropriate."

Overman will drive a school bus bringing up the rear of the parade. He said he will have four special passengers, retiring staff members Gary Jones, Peg Eilerman, Jane Moser and Melinda Clark.

"We want to thank them for what they have done for the district," Overman said.

Other tributes have been planned for the seniors. Overman said a video being posted today will feature several members of the K-6 staff sharing their memories of this year's graduates.

Another video is set to be released on May 10, which Overman noted would have been graduation day.

"It will be a high-class video that shows off our students and what our district is all about," he said. "We will share it with seniors first so they can watch it with their families."

The video tribute to the seniors will then be posted on Twitter, Facebook, the school's YouTube channel and the district website.

Overman noted the coronavirus has presented a host of challenges for administrators, teachers, staff and students.

"They definitely don't teach you this when you are going through college to be a teacher or a principal or anything like that," he said. "It's just something you have to take the time to think about and brainstorm," Overman said of finding ways to navigate the hurdles.

Overman, who is in his second year as high school principal, said he has enjoyed working with the 58 graduating seniors. Class members succeeded in the classroom, choir, robotics and athletics.

"It has been a successful and fun bunch to get to know and work with," he said.

The final step in the class's 13-year journey will be the presentation of diplomas.

Overman said officials had hoped to present the diplomas to seniors on the night of the parade. However, the required process of determining final grades will not be complete in time for the event.

"Most likely, I'm going to hand deliver them," he said, noting he will retrace his steps taken recently to deliver to each student special yard signs congratulating the class of 2020.

He said the process took about 2½ hours.

"It's one day of work that I can sacrifice to go out of the way to show I care about them," he said.