New Jersey schools can hold outdoor graduation ceremonies starting July 6 after Gov. Phil Murphy announced the latest relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions in a tweet before his regular daily briefing Tuesday.

 

Ceremonies must be held outdoors, while students and families must comply with social distancing requirements.

"This guidance may require multiple ceremonies to be held across different times and even different days, to ensure proper social distancing,” says Gov. Murphy. “Our goal is to ensure our students are given the sendoffs they richly deserve, in which they have been working toward."

The governor later today will announce the maximum number of attendees allowed at each ceremony.

 

Schools are closed through June because of the outbreak, but it’s the latest easing of restrictions, which have included opening parks and golf courses, along with the state’s beaches. 

Murphy also says professional sports teams that play and practice in the state can begin returning to competition and training, depending on what the leagues decide.

AP wire services helped contribute to this report.