T-L Photo/KIM NORTH MAURA TIBER displays her diploma Thursday morning during a unique Bridgeport Exempted Village School District graduation exercise inside an empty John J. Havlicek Gymnasium. Tiber, the Class of 2020 valedictorian, was one of 66 seniors who participated in the mock ceremony. Each graduate entered the gymnasium with no more than four family members.

BRIDGEPORT — Although there was no pomp and circumstance nor caps being thrown into the air, 66 seniors in the Bridgeport Exempted Village School District got their chance to walk across the stage and receive their diplomas during a modified commencement exercise this week.

Half of the Class of 2020 made their walk Wednesday, while the remainder walked across the stage Thursday.

The actual graduation ceremony is scheduled for May 27, but that date is in jeopardy due to social distancing restrictions set forth by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“All of the school districts in Belmont County worked with the health director on a common theme for how to do this,” Superintendent Brent Ripley said. “We have some backup dates in June and July that we’re going to use for the real graduation ceremony, if the governor lifts his social distancing measures.

“We’re certainly going to do that for our seniors.”

Each graduate was allowed to have four family members inside the gymnasium to witness the event.

“It’s tough, but myself as a parent, it’s what I had to do,” Ripley explained. “We had to stick to that 10-person-or-lower limit.”

Ripley said that the response has been nearly 100 percent.

“Most of our kids have shown up and it went well. We only have about a handful to go and we’ll be finished. The parents have been very understanding,” he added. “It is what it is right now. Is it what any parent wants for their kids graduation, or what the kid wants for their graduation? No. They want the real deal but we, as a school district, are doing what we can in a tough situation.”

While each graduate was handed a “diploma,” the package was, in fact, empty, according to high school Principal Tom Daley. He said the factory that designs the diplomas has been shut down and the real diplomas will be handed out whenever they arrive.

“A lot of these kids are looking for some type of closure and this kind of gives them that at this point,” he said. “We know everyone involved wants to have that formal type of celebration and we’re holding out hope. Once we get clearance that we can hold something more formal and with a larger gathering, we’re going to do that.”

Board of Education President Jerry Moore said, We are excited to do this part of it (graduation), but even though it’s not the real graduation, it is something for the kids. It’s sad but it’s been a joyous time for the students, parents and grandparents.”

Class of 2020 Valedictorian Maura Tiber said it was a bittersweet moment.

“It was definitely a weird feeling because the gym is empty and it’s kind of like it doesn’t really count, so I’m just waiting and hoping we can have a real graduation,” Tiber said after making her walk across the stage, which was decorated in the school’s blue-and-black colors.

Although slightly disappointed when she found out that graduation might be delayed, or even canceled, Tiber said, “I really wanted to give my (valedictorian) speech, but I wasn’t that disappointed that I didn’t have to go back to school.”