The Hawaii State Department of Education will replace traditional graduation ceremonies for the class of 2020 at all public and charter schools with “alternative celebrations” due to safety concerns and social distancing guidelines in place to combat the spread of COVID-19.

“Graduation is considered a major milestone in any academic journey. In Hawaii these celebrations are uniquely special with a long-standing tradition of families coming together to celebrate, giving towering amounts of lei, and enjoying each other’s company — something we are all missing during this time,” said DOE superintendent Dr. Christina Kishimoto in a release. “The Department has faced tough decisions throughout this unprecedented situation, especially around commencement ceremonies. We’ve looked for innovative solutions to support and celebrate our seniors who deserve this recognition.”

The DOE said is is working with school leaders to develop different models of graduation celebrations and will announce more details next week.