Graduation Guide for the Class of 2020

  • Special Senior Events 

    October 1st- FASFA Window Open 

    October 25th- Senior Class Mtg. in the PAC @ 9am

    November 1st-Senior Photos due, send to  yhspublishing@ycs.wednet.edu 

    November 7th- Jostens Order in YHS Commons 10:20-11:50 

    March 7th- Dollars for Scholars Auction in YHS Commons 

    April 1st- Jostens Cap and Gown Delivery @YHS 10:30-12:30 

    April 1st--April 3rd-High School & Beyond Plan; Student Led Conferences 

    June 1st-Senior Scholarship & Awards Night 

    June 6th- Prom 

    June 8th & 9th- Senior Finals 

    June 10th-Senior Sunset & Yearbook Activity 

    June 11th- Senior Awards/ Moving up Assembly, Senior Grad Walk, & Project Inspire 

    June 12th- Graduation Rehearsal (mandatory) 

    June 14th-Graduation @ Tacoma Dome

    Cap and Gown Distribution:
    April 1st from 10:30-12:30 am in the YHS commons. Jostens will be at Yelm High School to deliver & accept orders. 

    Student Led Conferences:
    ½ days April 1st – April 3rd students will present their High School and Beyond Plan, a graduation requirement, to their Tornado Time advisor and parent. During this time, please review in Skyward, and verify the spelling of your senior’s first, last, and middle name for the graduation program and their high school diploma. If you need to update your student’s name please see Mrs. Hillemann-Counseling Secretary, or Mrs. DeVore-Registrar. 

    Senior Scholarship & Awards Night:
    Monday, June 1st at 6:00 pm in the Performance Arts Center (students must arrive @ 5:30 pm sharp) business dress attire. Senior Scholarship Night allows our incredible community scholarship program to announce their winners for this year. Our seniors have the ability to apply for numerous community and private local scholarships including Yelm Dollars for Scholars. Invitees to this event will receive their scholarship notifications and recognition. Each year about 140 seniors receive some type of scholarship aid from these community-based donors. 

    Prom    Saturday, June 6th 7-10 pm
                The Loft, 547 NW Pacific Ave
                Chehalis, WA 98532 

    Dance Criteria: 12th grade students will have the first opportunity to purchase tickets, and can invite underclassmen. 

    Ticket info:

    1. All fines need to be cleared before you can purchase tickets.
    2. You may not have more than 10 unexcused absences.
    3. YHS students must be passing ALL classes by Friday, May 8
    4. YES students must show proof of academic progress by Friday, May 8
    5. Tickets must be purchased under the attendee’s name.
    6. Tickets are non-refundable; non transferable. No sales at the door.
    7. Monday, May 4th guest pass applications available in the main office
    8. Monday, May 11th Senior ticket sales begin
    9. Monday, May 18th ALL grades can purchase tickets
    10. Wednesday, May 27th guest pass applications due -NO EXCEPTIONS
    11. Thursday, June 4th last day to purchase tickets ASB office closes at 2:30 pm 

    Senior Finals   Monday, June 8th periods 1, 3, 5
                          Tuesday, June 9th periods 2, 4, 6

    Senior Sunset and Yearbook Activity:
    Wednesday, June 10th seniors who have purchased a yearbook will be able to pick them up. Senior evening activity details to be announced at a later date. 

    Senior Awards and Moving Up Assembly:
    Thursday, June 11th in the YHS Gym. Department recognition awards given to selected seniors, and moving-up assembly to follow.

    Senior Grad Walk and Project Inspire:
    Thursday, June 11th graduating seniors will walk the halls of elementary and middle schools to encourage our younger students to graduate. Seniors can also present former teachers with a Project Inspire certificate, recognizing those teachers who helped them achieve their path to graduation.   

    Graduation Rehearsal:
    Friday, June 12th at 7:30 am. Graduation rehearsal will be held at YHS, beginning promptly at 7:30 am in the YHS PAC. Rehearsal is mandatory for all students participating in graduation on Sunday, June 14th.   

     

  • Graduation

    Date: Sunday, June 14, 2020
    Place: Tacoma Dome
    Time: Ceremony begins at 9:30 am 

    Graduates arrive at the Tacoma Dome by 8:30 am for line-up. Please arrive with your gown unzipped and open.  Remember there is no storage space for personal items. Lock all personal items in your vehicle. 

    Eligibility for Graduation:
    Students must have met all graduation requirements prior to graduation practice.  Students submitting credits from outside sources are to provide records of completion prior to June 1st. 

    Seating & Parking:
    Doors open at the upper entrance for families and friends to enter at 9:00 am. Remember Tacoma Dome security will check for any objects not allowed (signs, noise makers, silly string, balloons etc.). Tacoma Dome security will not allow access to students in the staging area. 

    1. Disabled seating is at the top of each section in the lower bowl.  Guests that enter through the lower level will take the elevator to get up to the concourse level where they have the choice of sides that they would like to sit on.
    2. Parking lots E and K are for guests with disabilities and are van accessible. These lots are sold on a first come, first serve basis.
    3. Parking fee is cash only. Tickets are not needed for entrance. Seating is on a first come first served basis. 

    Camera/Video Recording:
    Professional photographs will be taken as each graduate receives his/her diploma; posed with diploma cover in hand.  Each graduate will receive an order form at rehearsal and will be available at the upper entrance of the Tacoma Dome.
    Video production will also take place during the commencement & will be available to order. 

    Senior Line-up:
    Seniors must be at the lower entrance of the Tacoma Dome ready for entrance no later than 8:30am. Only graduates and faculty will be allowed in the line-up area.  Family and friends must enter at the upper seating area.  As per Tacoma Dome security, graduates will be searched for signs, noise making items, or other inappropriate items. 

    Appropriate Attire:
    All graduating seniors will wear official caps with tassels and gowns along with YHS issued cords and medallions for commencement exercises.  If your student has not yet ordered the cap and gown, contact Jostens’s at www.jostens.com or 1-800-JOSTENS immediately. In addition to cap and gowns, graduates are expected to dress appropriately for a ceremony of this nature.  Dress is semi-formal, business attire.  Board Policy states that students will not decorate the top of their cap. 

    Code of Conduct during Commencement:
     Graduation is a dignified ceremony celebrating all graduates. We ask that all in attendance respect that so everyone can hear during the ceremony. 

    Audience:
    The audience entrance is the upper entrance of the Tacoma Dome. Doors will open at 9:00 am. The audience will not be permitted on the floor with graduates. 

    All guests must remain at their seats until the entire ceremony is complete and graduates have exited.  Balloons will not be permitted in the Tacoma Dome. Cell phones are to be turned off, and bullhorns, air horns, or other noise makers are not allowed in the Tacoma Dome and will be confiscated by Tacoma Dome Security. 

    Please make prior arrangements to meet your graduate after the ceremony.  Again, the audience will not be permitted on the floor with the graduates. 

    Students:
    Alcohol, tobacco, and vaping products are not permitted and any student who is found to have been using alcohol, vaping, or other drugs will not be allowed to participate in the ceremonies. The use of alcohol, tobacco, vape, or other drugs is strictly forbidden at any school district event. Students will not be allowed to make inappropriate comments or gestures when they receive their diploma cover. 

    Valedictorian and Salutatorian:
     For the purpose of determining District honors, an index score reflecting a student’s grade point average shall be used to designate the valedictorian and salutatorian. The class rank determination shall be made at the end of the first semester grading period prior to graduation. 

    The student with the highest cumulative grade point average class rank shall be the valedictorian. In the event that multiple students hold a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average, each student will receive valedictorian honors. The student with the second highest cumulative grade point average class rank shall be the salutatorian.

    To be eligible for the honors of valedictorian and salutatorian, a student must have been in attendance at Yelm High School for their last two years. Students that transfer to YHS during their junior year or at the start of their senior year may appeal to the principal to be included. The appeal will include an analysis of the student's transcript as well as the reason for the transfer, such as military PCS. 

    Diploma Pick-up:
    All graduation requirements must be met before diplomas will be issued.  Diplomas will be available for pick-up June 25th in the front office. An auto-dial call will go out as well as a posting on the web page when diplomas are ready for pick-up. Official transcripts will not be released until all fines and fees are cleared. Students should report their final transcript destination to Ms. Mathis in the career center for mailing after graduation.