What will the athletic program in the Ellsworth-Kanopolis-Geneseo School District look like this summer due the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions that are in place both statewide and locally?

That was the question Ron Davis Jr., EJSHS athletic director, brought to school board members Monday at the group’s regular monthly meeting. Davis asked for a directive to help coaches manage and keep everyone safe.

KSHSAA has set guidelines for the summer programs that can begin no earlier than June 1 and include a required 10 days of conditioning prior to any scrimmages since athletes have been inactive since March when statewide restrictions were imposed.

In addition to the KSHSAA guidelines, Davis said the administration’s goal is to “keep our focus on the health and safety of others, limit the risk and protect future opportunities.” He said Ellsworth County must be in Phase 3 before any summer program can begin. The county and state are now in Phase 1.

Proposals include:

• No travel for school teams for competition as well as no one allowed in from the outside for any competition.

• Facilities and equipment must be sanitized at the end of group sessions.

• Students and coaches must disclose any trips to high-risk hot spots. KDHE travel and quarantine guidelines must be followed.

The other big question facing the district is graduation for 2020 Ellsworth High School seniors. Good news — there will be a graduation ceremony July 12 but exactly what it will look like is still up in the air due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to EJSHS principal Ken Windholz, three possibilities are planned:

• A traditional graduation ceremony in the EJSHS gym with everyone being able to attend;

• A ceremony in the EJSHS gym with limited attendance;

• A drive-through ceremony.

There will also be a Plan D if necessary but that has not yet been decided.

The hope among seniors is they will be able to have a traditional graduation; however, that will depend on what the state and the Ellsworth County Health Department allow, Windholz said.

In the meantime, to recognize the graduates, the district has placed individual senior banners on the Ellsworth Elementary School fence. There also will be a radio broadcast at 2 p.m. May 17 — the original planned graduation ceremony date — of interviews with the seniors on 100.7 FM radio. The traditional senior slide show will be posted within the next week on www.usd327.org website.