- When is Graduation Day? The graduation date is Thursday, May 31st @ 3:00 p.m. at Merriweather Post Pavilion.
- When is the last day of school for seniors? The last day of school for seniors will be Thursday, May 24th.
- How are we notified of important dates/events and graduation date? As soon as we were notified of the date, we notified students and parents via HCPSS website, long Reach High School website, Twitter, e-school news, Remind.com, and school announcements over the P.A. Students will receive a booklet called “The Strike” with all pertinent Senior information. This should be distributed before the end of April through English classes.
- When are caps and gowns ordered? Orders for caps and gowns were due in March. If for some reason seniors did not order at that time, they can also order online by going to http://highschool.herffjones.com/ as soon as possible in order to get orders back in time.
- When and where will caps and gowns be given to the graduates? Caps and gowns will distributed during the graduation rehearsal on May 23rd. Students need to be clear of all obligations to receive tickets and cap and gown.
- Can my child decorate their cap and or gown for graduation? Graduates CAN NOT decorate their caps with signs, colors, emblems, etc.
- What are the graduates allowed to wear on their gowns? The only regalia that graduates are allowed to wear are from approved clubs and organizations and honor societies (NHS, top 5%, etc.) Students are not allowed to wear flowers, leis, pins or anything unless approved by HCPSS. Students will be asked to remove anything not approved.
- Can my child use their siblings cap and gown from previous years? If you have a purple cap and gown from a sibling or friend from last year they can be worn instead of purchasing a new one, however student will need to purchase a 2018 tassel to wear on the cap.
- How do I order other accessories? Other accessories such as frames, graduation announcement s etc. can be ordered from HerffJones (http://highschool.herffjones.com/). That information is in the packet that was sent home from the October Senior Meeting. If there is a problem with the order, please contact HerffJones and not the school.
- Why are graduation rehearsals mandatory? All days through May 24th are regular school days. Students are expected to be present. We have prided ourselves in having a smooth, professional and timely ceremony and that tradition can only continue if students are at rehearsals. Sometimes seats change or lineups change, so it is imperative that graduates know where they should be.
- What should my child do if they need to miss a rehearsal? These are normal school days. Attendance is required to participate in the commencement activities. If your student must miss school, please follow the same procedures that have been in place all year. Contact Mrs. DeVore, our attendance secretary, with absent notes. Once the timeline schedule has been released, student s should make any changes to their schedule to accommodate rehearsals (work, internships, doctors appts, etc.) .
- Who should I contact if my child is not participating in the graduation ceremony? If your child will not be participating in graduation ceremony, please write a letter to Mr. Wasilewski informing him of the reason for the absence. All seniors are expected to participate in all graduation activities.
- How long is the graduation ceremony? The actual graduation ceremony should not take more than an hour and half, no longer
than two hours.
- Who do I notify if I want to hand my child their diploma covers during graduation? HCPSS allows for any employee to physically hand their child their diploma cover on stage during graduation. There will be a period of signing up for that opportunity in April. This is an optional opportunity for parents. Heather Johnston (Heather_Johnston@hcpss.org) must be notified of your desire by Friday, April 20th per HCPSS policy.
- When do we received the graduation tickets and how many does each student receive? Tickets for graduation are handed out a few days before graduation. Each graduate receives 8 tickets. All obligations need to be clear before tickets are issued. It is imperative that seniors stay on top of any obligations to Long Reach High School.
- How do I order more graduation tickets? If you need more than 8 tickets, seniors will be allowed to request additional tickets . The best way to get extra tickets is to trade with other students not using their full 8. Additional tickets can be requested by emailing or writing to Mrs. Heather Johnston, graduation coordinator (Heather_Johnston@hcpss.org). Please include the number of extra tickets needed and who will be using the tickets. There is a limited number of additional tickets available.
- What do I do if I need handicap parking? Handicap parking spaces are on a first come, first serve basis. No pre-registration or tickets are required. There is also a drop off area if you would like to drop off a handicap person and then proceed to the general parking spaces.
- Is there handicap seating? There is a limited amount of handicap seating at Merriweather and it is on a first come, first serve basis. Because of the limited seating, only one person may sit with the handicap person in question. Unfortunately, whole families will not be able to sit together in that area.
- Who should I contact if I need sign language services for the graduation/awards ceremony? If you require a sign language interpreter, please contact Karen Curry (Rita_Curry@hcpss.org) and she will submit a request to the Interpreter Services office. If no request is made there will be no sign language interpreters at the ceremony or the awards ceremony.
- Is it mandatory for my child to attend the Awards Ceremony? The Awards Ceremony is at 8 a.m. on May 24th. This is a school day and a mandatory graduation rehearsal. Students are expected to be present and dressed in their cap and gown.
- What is the dress code for graduation for my child? Graduation is a time honored celebration of accomplishment. Seniors will wear professional, appropriate clothing. Men should wear a collared shirt with a tie, dress pants with a belt and closed toe dress shoes. Ladies can wear either dress pants or dresses, but restrain from wearing very high heels or shoes that are difficult to walk in. Please do not allow your child to come to the graduation in jeans, tee shirts, shorts, leggings, midriffs with stomach exposed, flip flop sandals, cut up pants, or very revealing clothes .This is a very dignified ceremony and graduates should dress accordingly .This dress requirement is the same for the Awards Ceremony.
- Who do I contact if I have specific questions regarding my senior's last year at Long Reach?
The graduation coordinator is the same person every year and is solely involved with coordinating the graduation. The role of the coordinator is to plan ordering of caps and gowns, planning the ceremony, facilitating graduation rehearsals and planning with administration and the county the actual day of graduation. The coordinator does not collect dues, does not plan senior activities throughout the year. The graduation coordinator is Ms. Heather Johnston, contact her for any graduation day questions.
The yearbook teacher is in charge of collecting all senior pictures that will appear in the yearbook. This year it is Ms. Brooke Schneider. All questions concerning yearbook should be directed to her.
Awards Ceremony coordinator is a guidance counselor who plans and executes the Awards Ceremony night. That person works with other counselors and outside organizations to coordinate presentation of awards/scholarships to graduating seniors. This person also works directly with the graduation coordinator to help with the planning and rehearsals for awards ceremony. The guidance counselor for this year is Mrs. Margaret Jones and Mrs. Brett Moore.