As seniors prepare to graduate in a little over a month, there are many activities and deadlines that they need to keep track of. If you are a Greenwood senior who will be graduating this year, or the parent of a senior, this article provides all the information you will need for various end of the year activities.

The Graduation Ceremony

Graduation Requirements

Graduation Practices

Getting Ready for Graduation

and Other Information

GRADUATION CEREMONY

Graduation for the class of 2016 will be held on Saturday, June 4, at noon at E.A. Diddle Arena, Western Kentucky University.

Call time for seniors who will be walking the line is 11:00 a.m.

Parents and friends in the stands may take pictures and video, but no photography or filming is allowed from the graduation floor.

Clothing Guidelines:

Graduating men should wear a dress shirt or some other collared shirt with either khaki or dress pants under their gowns. (A short-sleeve shirt is recommended.)

Graduating women should wear either a dress or a nice shirt with a skirt/khaki or dress pants. For those wearing a dress or skirt, it should not be longer than the graduation gown. (If a white collar attachment is provided in your package, do not wear it.)

Both men and women must wear nice dress shoes or heels, but they should be comfortable enough so as not to hinder your walking.

Any senior walking the line is NOT allowed to decorate their graduation cap other than with the provided tassel.

Cords/sashes/patches will be provided during practice to Honors (3.65 GPA or higher), BETA, NHS, and Work Ethics students. Any other cords/sashes/other gown decorations that are not provided by the school are NOT allowed.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

In order to graduate, seniors must meet certain requirements and deadlines:

All seniors MUST have completed their ILPs by May 20th. This includes the final survey. If you aren’t sure whether you’ve completed your ILP, see Mrs. Medley in Guidance.

Students enrolled in an APEX course must have fully completed the class before 3:00 p.m. on May 20th.

All fees owed to the school must be paid by May 27th. This includes lunch fees, parking tickets, fundraising money, textbooks, etc. Letters will be mailed to anyone who owes money, but if you would like to be sure that your fees are paid, visit Mrs. Gibbs in the front office.

In order to participate in graduation, seniors must take part in the graduation practices. This includes Dual Credit, ATC, and Co-op students. (See “Graduation Practices” below for more information.)

GRADUATION PRACTICES

There will be two graduation practices, one on May 31st and one on June 1st. BOTH OF THESE DAYS ARE MANDATORY.

On May 31, seniors should report to 1st period as normal, but then for 2nd period-Swamp they will be called to the gym for practice. They will go to 4th period and A Lunch, then will return to the gym for 5th-6th period.

On Wednesday, June 1, seniors must be at school by 8:00 a.m. in the gym. Graduation practices will continue there until the administrators are satisfied with the ceremony, then seniors will be dismissed. Seniors are not allowed in the school building other than the gym on this day.

**Co-Op students need to notify their supervisors or employers that practices are mandatory.**

GETTING READY FOR GRADUATION

Jostens will be at Greenwood on May 11th to deliver any caps and gowns ordered. They will be in the cafeteria during lunch, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and they will also be accepting payment on that day.

Two seniors will be chosen to deliver the opening and closing speeches at graduation based on submitted sample speeches. Any senior interested in writing a speech should submit it to Mrs. Jaggers in Guidance by May 11th. The speeches will be read and selected by the administrative staff.

Any seniors who have received scholarship offers from colleges must notify Guidance by May 13th, so that these scholarships can be listed in the program at graduation. The name of the scholarship as well as the amount that it is for must be listed, whether the student has accepted it or not and whether they are attending graduation or not.

If any student has failed a course, they MUST notify Guidance before graduation practices.

OTHER INFORMATION

Awards Day is a ceremony in which high-achieving students will be recognized with class awards and certificates. For seniors, the ceremony will be held on May 23 at 8:30 in the gym.

Rewards Day or Field Day will be a day of fun in the football field behind GHS on May 24. Seniors are required to come to school on this day, but any student who has not completed their ILP or APEX classes will not be allowed to participate in the activities.

Seniors will clean out their lockers during Swamp on Friday, May 27th. Be prepared with a trash bag or cleaning supplies if needed. Locks must be left on lockers.

The diploma covers that seniors will receive during the graduation ceremony will not contain official diplomas. Instead, diplomas will be available for pick up on June 9th in the GHS front office. Seniors who did not participate in the graduation ceremony can also pick up their diplomas on this day. Any senior who will not be able to come to GHS on this day must contact guidance before May 31st.

Teachers must post final grades for seniors by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31. These grades cannot be changed afterwards.

Senior finals will be on the following days:

2nd and 5th: May 26th

3rd and 6th: May 27th

1st and 4th: May 31st