Graduation Information Packet
SPECIAL NOTE FROM MR. BOWLING: I would like to remind all graduates that this is your graduation ceremony. How you conduct yourself is a reflection upon you, your family, and your school. You will be expected to attend all rehearsals and to be prompt and attentive. As young adults, you are expected to be respectful and courteous of your fellow graduates during practices and the ceremony. Seniors are not permitted to decorate their mortarboards. Seniors are not permitted to bring any item to the graduation ceremony which would cause a disruption to the graduation ceremony including beach balls, silly string, etc. If a senior is caught with any of these items before the ceremony, the principal will be notified and the principal will determine whether the senior may participate in the ceremony. Any senior who causes a disruption to the graduation ceremony may have his/her diploma pulled, may forfeit his/her privilege to participate in Project Grad, and may be subject to arrest for disrupting a school activity. New this year the ceremony will be streamed live via a link on the homepage of the Chopticon website http://schools.smcps.org/chs/ and will be available for free download after the event. GRADUATION CEREMONY FEE. Seniors wishing to participate in the graduation ceremony will be charged a fee of $10. This fee will assist in covering expenses incurred by the school for safety and security needs, printing of the graduation program, decorations, etc. This fee must be paid to the school bank by Monday, May 14. Personal checks will not be accepted after May 2. SCHOOL DEBTS. All money owed to the school must be paid by the end of the day on Thursday, May 22in order for the student to participate in practices and the graduation ceremony. Personal checks will not be accepted as payment of a school debt after May 2 only cash or money order. The school bank is open daily during all lunches. Please pay all debts at this time. NOTES FOR GUESTS. Graduation is a formal occasion that recognizes the achievements of our seniors. In honor of the young people who will graduate, we ask that all guests at the graduation ceremony: - Arrive in time to be seated by 5:45 p.m. Guests arriving late will be asked to wait outside or in the lobby until the processional is complete. - Dress in a manner appropriate to the dignity of the occasion. Please keep cheering to a minimum so that each graduate s name may be heard when announced. - Stay seated and quiet throughout the ceremony. We have contracted with Candid Color through Lifetouch to take a photograph of each student as he/she receives a diploma. - Please do not bring air horns, balloons, or beach balls/other inflatables into the gymnasium or auxiliary gym. - Guests will not be admitted into the building before 4:30 p.m. Please plan accordingly. - Golf carts will be available for guests who need assistance in traveling from the parking lot to the gymnasium. If a guest needs to be seated in a wheelchair throughout the ceremony, the guest will need to provide his/her own wheelchair. TICKETS. Graduation is scheduled for Thursday, May 29, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. in the St. Mary s College gymnasium. Each senior will receive four (4) gymnasium admission tickets and three (3) auxiliary gymnasium admission tickets. Auxiliary gym ticket holders will be able to view the graduation ceremony live via electronic broadcast. We have great news to share. The seniors will march through the auxiliary gym prior to entering the main gym so all guests will be able to see the seniors. For the safety of our seniors, guests must remain seated and may
not stand up and walk to greet seniors during the processional, presentation of diplomas, and as seniors march out of the gymnasium. Everyone must have a ticket including infants. Due to fire code regulations regarding capacity, we will not be able to issue any additional tickets. All tickets will be issued to seniors at practice on Friday, May 23. PLEASE NOTE LOST TICKETS CANNOT BE REPLACED. PRACTICES. Only Mrs. Smith or Mr. Bowling may excuse a student for being absent during practice days. Only emergency absences will be excused (doctor s note, court summons, etc.) Students are expected to be on time and present for the entire practice time. All practices begin at 8:30 a.m. and most are scheduled to end at approximately 12:30 p.m. Cell phones are to be turned off and put away. School rules are still in effect. If you have an emergency the morning of a practice, please contact Ms. Tiffany at 301-475-0215 ext. 38115. Please provide your name, the nature of the emergency, and a contact name and phone number. Friday, May 23. Seniors should plan to arrive at school after 8:00 a.m. to help minimize the road congestion on Colton Point Road. Seniors should report promptly to the gymnasium at 8:30 a.m. Seniors will be directed to park in the B lot for all practices and vehicles will not need to have a parking permit. The B lot is located to the right side of the driveway into school. Seniors are not permitted in other parts of the building. A seating chart will be posted in the hallway outside of the gymnasium, students should sit in their assigned seat. Seniors are expected to be on time to all practices. A senior who is tardy to practice may lose his/her privilege to participate in the graduation ceremony. Panoramic photo ordering information will be distributed during the May 23 practice along with guest tickets for the ceremony. Remember, lost tickets will not be replaced. Tuesday, May 27 - Dress Rehearsal. Seniors will bring caps and gowns for the Panoramic Picture. Males will wear white dress shirt, black necktie, black pants, and black dress shoes. Females will wear skirt/blouse or dress and black dress shoes. Flip flops, spike-heeled shoes, and boots are not permitted. Panoramic pictures will be taken by Lifetouch. Order envelopes will be distributed Friday, May 23. Orders will be due at the time of the picture taking. No late orders will be accepted. Checks should be made payable to Lifetouch. A laminated picture is $28 and a non-laminated picture is $23. Wednesday, May 28. Seniors will board buses to travel to St. Mary s College for rehearsal. No student will be allowed to drive to the college. Please do not plan on returning to Chopticon until 2:00 P.M. While there are vending machines at the college, students should bring a water bottle and snacks/bag lunch. A lunch break will be scheduled. Thursday, May 29. Seniors report to the Chopticon gymnasium at 8:30 a.m. for practice. Graduation Night. Seniors report promptly to the gym at 4:15 p.m. Please park in the A lot. Seniors will board buses for departure to the college by 4:40 p.m. No student will be permitted to drive to the college. Dress. In addition to the cap and gown set, the following is required dress for graduation night. Male students - black, long dress pants, white button shirt, black necktie, and black dress shoes. Female students - skirt/blouse or dress and black dress shoes (low heels are recommended). No sneakers, boots, flip flops, spike-heeled shoes, shorts or jeans will be permitted. Wearing of tassel. 1. During the processional and through the awarding of diplomas, the tassel is worn on the right side of the mortarboard.
2. On the signal from the principal, and after all diplomas have been awarded, tassels will be shifted by all graduates to the left side of the mortarboard. Senior Celebration. After the turning of the tassel and following Mr. Bowling s presentation of the Class of 2014, it is traditional for the graduates to celebrate. Each senior will be given a cow bell to shake in celebration. For the safety of others, there will be NO THROWING OF THE MORTARBOARDS. Photographs. A Lifetouch photographer will be at the ceremony the night of graduation to take pictures of seniors receiving their diplomas. Students and parents have the option, but no obligation, to order prints. Pictures and ordering information may be viewed online at http://events.lifetouch.com. You may visit the site, search for Chopticon and select event prior to the ceremony. There is an option to enter your email address and Lifetouch will notify you when photos are ready to view and order. New this year the ceremony will be streamed live via a link on the homepage of the Chopticon website http://schools.smcps.org/chs/ and will be available for free download after the event. PROJECT GRAD. Through cooperation with Patuxent River Naval Air Station, the St. Mary s County State s Attorney s Office, Maryland State Police, the Sheriff s Department, and the Optimists Clubs of St. Mary s, there will be a Chemical-Free/Tobacco-Free Graduation Party immediately following graduation at the Naval Drill Hall. Participants and guests must board the bus together and ride the bus to and from the base. To participate in Project Grad, you and your guest must complete the contract and return it to Ms. Collins. Contracts are mailed to students by the Office of Community Services. All forms must be turned in by May 16 NO EXCEPTIONS. Graduates and guests will board buses for Project Grad at the college. The college will provide access to locker rooms so graduates may change clothes after the ceremony. Graduates will have an opportunity to see parents and other guests after the ceremony. Project Grad Guests. If a guest is not attending the graduation ceremony, he/she will need to report to Chopticon no later than 7:45 P.M. to board a bus at 8:00 P.M. Guests will be transported from Chopticon to St. Mary s College to board the Project Grad buses. Project Grad guests may not drive directly to the college. Guests must be at least 15 years of age and/or in the 9 th grade and no older than 21. Underclass students who attend Project Grad are expected to be present in school on May 30. All graduates and their guests will be returned to Chopticon High School. There will be an early bus that leaves the base at approximately 2:30 A.M. and the last bus will leave the base at 4:00 A.M. Any changes to this schedule will be announced during graduation practice. Dress is casual. ONLY SOFT SOLE SHOES will be allowed on the floors. The pool will be available and guests who plan to swim will need to bring a bathing suit and towel. Regular shorts or cut-off pants/jeans are not acceptable bathing attire for the pool.. Guests do not need to bring money since everything at Project Graduation is FREE. No lockers will be available to store valuables and neither the base nor class sponsors/school will be responsible for lost or stolen items. Door prizes will be awarded later in the evening, before the last bus departs the base.
Directions: Take Route 5 south through Leonardtown, past Great Mills Road, to St. Mary s City. Turn left on Mattapany Road, go past East Fisher road, turn left towards athletic fields. Follow parking signs. The college will be providing road signs and security personnel to assist guests in finding the correct parking lot. Pink tickets & special guest tickets to main gym Lot T - Guest Parking or as directed by security Red tickets to auxiliary gym To Route 235 Gymnasium Building Handicapped Parking w/permit Permit must be displayed on dashboard of vehicle. To Route 5
STAGE Pink ticket holders and special guest ticket holders enter here NO ENTRY VENDOR & HANDICAPPED ENTRANCE Red tickets SWIMMING POOL Guests w/red tickets enter here
CHOPTICON HIGH SCHOOL Morganza, Maryland 20660 To: From: Re: All 2014 Graduating Seniors Mrs. Smith Handicapped Parking and Seating for Graduation Please complete this form if you have friends and/or relatives planning to attend graduation, who need handicapped parking. To ensure we have ample handicapped parking, we are asking guests in need of handicapped parking to complete this form, even if the driver has handicapped tags on his/her vehicle. Fill in the information below and return the form to Ms. Tiffany in the main office by Thursday, May 23. Remember, each guest must have a ticket. Parking passes will be distributed during rehearsals. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Handicapped Parking Permit Request STUDENT S NAME: Is the handicapped guest s ticket for: (Please check) main gym auxiliary gym