DAMASCUS HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR PARENT MEETING
May 18, 2011 6:00 pm
Senior Exam Schedule
Friday May 20
Monday May 23
Review Day
Periods 6 and 7
Tuesday May 24
Periods 4 and 5
Wednesday May 25 Thursday May 26
Periods 2 and 3
Period 1 & MU
Senior Exam Make-up is Thursday May 26 or Friday May 27 and MUST be scheduled with the teacher.
THE PURPOSE OF COMMENCEMENT
The primary purpose of a commencement or graduation ceremony is to formally award diplomas. Students can
graduate without attending the formal ceremony. If you attend, you are the guest of the school. Each set of
parents are proud of the accomplishment of their child. They want to hear the name called out and watch their
child receive the diploma. Please remember this and keep your celebration for after the ceremony. When you
scream and blow air horns, the next names called are obliterated by your noise. Please be considerate of all the
graduates and their guests.
Graduation Practice
June 1, 2011 8:30 am
No one will be allowed to walk in graduation ceremony if they do not attend the entire
practice. Students report to the DHS Auditorium on June 1, 2011 by 8:30 am. ALL
OBLIGATIONS MUST BE PAID.
Caps and Gowns will be distributed at the end of practice.
Senior Picnic – High Point Farm
Mrs. Carolynn Walsleben is chairing this event. If you would like to help, she can be contacted at:
CarolynnWalsleben@kwalsleben@yahoo.com
The picnic begins immediately following rehearsal on June 1, 2011. There is no charge for this activity. We will
have food, the senior video will be shown, and there will be volleyball and softball. The picnic will end at 2:15pm.
Remember, this is a school activity and school rules apply.
GRADUATION
No one is required to participate in the ceremony in order to receive a diploma; those who choose to participate are
expected to be conforming members of the senior class.
Dress:
A. Boys
1. Wrinkle-free, green academic robe
2. Green mortarboard with tassel (on left)
3. Long dress pants
4. Dress shoes with socks
5. White shirt with collar and tie
6. Jewelry should not be worn on outside of academic robe.
B. Girls
1. Wrinkle-free (white) academic robe
2. White mortarboard with tassel (on left)
3. Dress or skirt and blouse (white/light colors are preferable)
4. Dress shoes (NO FLIP FLOPS)
5. Clothing, jewelry, and accessories should not be visible on outside of academic robes.
6. Avoid large drop earrings.
C. Mortarboard should be worn so that it is parallel to floor and should be flat on your head. Use bobby pins to
secure the mortarboard. During the processional and through the awarding of diplomas, the tassel is worn on the
left side of the mortarboard. On signal from the stage and after all graduates have been awarded diplomas, tassels
will be shifted to the right side.
D. Cords and Stoles
 National Honor Society Members: Mrs. Krebs has placed a tassel in the graduation gown packet. If cords
are purchased, they will be in the packet also. If cords are not purchased, those diplomas will only be given
when the cord is returned to Mrs. Krebs in the cafeteria at the conclusion of the ceremony.
 National Art Honor Society Members see Mrs. Goldsmith
 National Foreign Language Honor Society Members see Mrs. Bartel
 FFA –see Ms. Mayhew
 Thespian Society- see Mr. Kachadorian on May 17 when he is here at DHS for a program
 SGA officers- see Mrs. Voketitis
 SSL hours- see Ms. Friedman
Graduates’ dress should be kept simple and not detract from the cap and gown, ceremony,
or celebration. This is not the place for individualism.
Graduates report to the Cafeteria at 9:00 am with nothing but their robes. No cell phones, no
ipods, no purses, no cameras, no brushes, no combs, no bags of any kind. If any of these items are
brought, they will be placed in a plastic bag with the student’s name and picked up in the Cafeteria
with the diploma after the ceremony.
Diplomas will not be distributed to students who behave inappropriately. These diplomas will need to be
picked up in the school office during the following school day.
On graduation day, several areas of the building will be available for parents and guests who are having
heat-related issues. The bathrooms in the math area will also be available. No one except Graduates will be
allowed in the Cafeteria area. Please plan to meet your graduate outside after the ceremony. The field is a
lovely place to take pictures with the beautiful flower arrangements.
TICKETS
Each graduate will receive to 6 tickets for the Graduation. We are aware that some families may not need 6 and
some families may need more than 6.
We respectfully request that those families not using all their tickets return them to the school. Mrs. Kathi Van
Hoesen has volunteered to assist us in requests for additional tickets. She may be reached by emailing your
requests to vanhoesen2@hotmail.com. Please be reasonable in your request. She cannot give tickets she does not
have! Please email her by Tuesday May 24, 2011 in order to be considered.
Extra tickets will be available for pickup in the main office beginning Thursday, May 26th.
Each envelope has 6 tickets. 5 of them are white and one is green. All are used for an outdoor graduation. The
green ticket is the only ticket for the auditorium in the event of inclement weather. (One guest per family will be
admitted to the auditorium.) All other guests will be seated in classrooms or the Gym.
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Both sets of bleachers on the field will be available – gates open at 8:45 a.m. Additional seating will be
available on the field behind the Graduates.
Reserving seats is not permitted.
Handicap Tickets- There is a special form available in your packet or in the main office from Mrs.
Madrzykowski or Mrs. Downs. You must trade in a regular ticket (White) for each handicapped ticket.
Only 1 (one) family member is allowed to sit with the handicapped person. (Handicapped Tickets are
Yellow) Please follow directions on the form found in this packet.
Seating will be available inside the building for viewing via closed-circuit TV for anyone who cannot sit
outside.
PARKING
 Additional parking will be available at the American Legion and Fire Activities Center. A shuttle bus will
be provided beginning at 8:30 am.
 Handicapped Parking is limited. (approximately 50 spaces) Handicapped parking will be on a first-come,
first-served basis for those cars with state-issued plates or tags. Please do not assume we will have enough
handicap spaces for everyone. All handicapped persons can be dropped off for wheelchair access while the
car is parked elsewhere.
WEATHER ISSUES
Graduation will be held outside unless there is a storm. No umbrellas can be used in the stadium. Umbrellas can be
dangerous and they can block the view for other guests. If necessary in the middle of graduation, graduates will
move inside to the Cafeteria to wait. Guests are requested to return to their cars or report to the Gym to wait. No
parents or guests will be permitted in the Cafeteria area or the Auditorium. This procedure is for a postponement
until the ceremony can resume.
Indoor Graduation
If severe weather conditions exist, each graduate will be permitted only 1 (one) guest in the auditorium.
(Green ticket). The rest of the guests will be able to view graduation via closed-circuit TV.
 All parents and guests can enter any door until 9:20. After that time only the main entrance or
Gym doors will be available.
 Those with white tickets will report to classrooms or the Gym.
 Those with green tickets will be allowed to proceed to the Auditorium.
 Graduation will be broadcast via closed-circuit TV to all classrooms and the Gym.
 Those persons holding yellow handicapped tickets will use rooms 131 -134 which are located by the
front entrance.
 The hallways should remain clear during the ceremony.
 Graduates will recess to the cafeteria to receive their actual diploma after the ceremony.
 Parents and guests must exit from the front doors, gym doors or auditorium doors.
 Parents and guests will not be allowed to enter the cafeteria area at this time!
 Please make prior plans to meet up as students will not have cell phones.
Students must complete all graduation requirements in order to graduate. This includes: all required
credits and Student Service Learning hours and taking care of all obligations.
After the Graduation Ceremony
 Diplomas will be picked up in Cafeteria after ceremony.
 Parents and guests will not be allowed to enter the school building at the conclusion of the ceremony.
A DVD of the ceremony may be ordered for $35.00. Order forms are available on the
school web site and can be turned into the Business Office with payment.
Or
On Graduation Day
they can be ordered at the Band Booster’s booth for an outdoor ceremony
or
in the Front Hallway- the Rotunda- for an indoor ceremony.
Information on ordering the pictures taken of each graduate
receiving their diploma will be mailed to each student’s home.
Parents need to discuss appropriate
behavior with their graduates. Remember,
graduation is a privilege not a right and
the student can graduate without
attending the ceremony.
Videos
Graduation will be videotaped by a professional company and videos may be ordered and
purchased.
 Blanton Studios will also be taking individual pictures of students receiving their diplomas. Parents will be
notified by mail if they wish to purchase pictures,.
 A senior class video will also be available for purchase through June 6.
Hearing Impaired Services
 Guest who need hearing impaired services need to contact DHS main office by May 20.