The Ripon High Class of 2020 is hoping to celebrate graduation in late May.

But the likelihood of that happening doesn't appear promising at this point, Superintendent Ziggy Robeson said Tuesday at the virtual Ripon Unified school board meeting.

The online monthly session was necessitated due to precautionary measures of minimizing the spread of COVID-19.

For that same reason, the traditional RHS commencement exercises along with the eighth-grade promotion ceremonies at Ripon Elementary, Colony Oak, Park View, Weston and Ripona are still up in the air for now.

"We really don't know what's going to happen," Trustee Vince Hobbs said.

Student board member Gianna Brocchini noted that the majority of the graduating class, in understanding the situation of these unprecedented times, would be willing to wait until later during the summer months for a full ceremony.

"Some of them may be leaving for college by then," she said.

Robeson added that she received several e-mails on this matter, with six parents of eighth-grade students and three from the high school being in favor of regular promotion and graduation ceremonies, respectively, rather than the virtual alternatives.

Trustees agreed to relax the policy for graduation/promotion ceremonies and activities, in turn, directing the superintendent to work with the administrators at the respective school sites on what needs to be done given the ongoing changes of the times.

"We want them to celebrate their accomplishments," Robeson said. "We don't want them miss out."

She said the elementary school sites are in the process of sending a simple three-question survey to the parents of eighth graders on their choices on the matter.