<strong>From staff reports</strong>

At least one local controversy sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 appears it may turn out differently in 2021.

The Beaufort County School District announced Tuesday evening that it plans on holding outdoor, in-person graduation ceremonies for its 2021 graduates.

Superintendent Frank Rodriguez said his first priority is to hold in-person graduation ceremonies.

“I look forward to celebrating this significant milestone with our school communities,” Rodriguez said.

In order to hold the ceremonies outdoors, the graduation schedule needed to be adjusted in order to accommodate rain days.

The school board unanimously approved the following schedule:

Beaufort High School: 7 p.m., Monday, June 14. (Rain date: 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 22)

May River High School: 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 15. (Rain date: 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 22)

Whale Branch Early College High School: 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 16. (Rain date: 7 p.m., Monday, June 21)

Hilton Head Island High School: 7 p.m., Thursday, June 17. (Rain date: 7 p.m., Saturday, June 19)

Bluffton High School: 10 a.m., Friday, June 18. (Rain date: 10 a.m., Saturday, June 19)

Battery Creek High School: 7 p.m. Friday, June 18. (Rain date: 10 a.m., Monday, June 21)

June 23 has been reserved as an extra rain day for schools if needed.

As per the direction of the S.C. Department of Education, the district will be providing safety plans for the graduation ceremonies to the S.C. Department of Commerce and Department of Health and Environmental Control for approval