Pandemic pushes local graduations outdoors for a year Audience sizes will depend on local health departments MTN News photo and last updated 2021-04-09 00:27:01-04 MISSOULA â Final details are still being worked out, but it appears many of largest local school districts in Western Montana will once more be outdoors for the Class of '21, as pandemic safety measures continue. While we're making progress with vaccinations and dropping COVID case numbers, school districts in Western Montana are following last year's Commencement course, opting to move ceremonies outside, and limit attendance to close family members. In Hamilton, district leaders have been planning on a repeat of last year's ceremony for the past few months.