WEST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION CEREMONY

STUDENT DRESS AND BEHAVIOR GUIDELINES

West High School Parent Site Council and the Waterloo School Board have determined there will be a formal and dignified graduation celebration.  Parents and guests are expected to treat all graduates with respect.  Your family is requested to follow these guidelines.  Yelling and cheering are discouraged and severe violators will be removed by the campus security. 

The following guidelines were adopted by Student Senate and Site Council in 1994, and they will be enforced.  Many staff members and campus security personnel are on duty to make sure our ceremony runs smoothly and without disruption.

No student will be allowed to participate in the ceremony until all graduation requirements are met.  NO EXCEPTION will be made to this long standing policy.

VALUABLES

Please do not bring any valuables to graduation (including your cell phone).  Do not bring or wear expensive jewelry.  There is no place to store anything during the ceremony.  You will not be able to see your parents before graduation to hand items to them.  Leave any and all items that you carry with you­—ELSEWHERE!

FEMALE ATTIRE

All will wear a nice dress, top and skirt, or dressy pants outfit under the academic gowns.

No jeans or T shirts of any kind will be allowed.

Clothing with any pictures or wording will not be allowed.

All will wear low heeled shoes or flat shoes.

No flip flops, house shoes (slippers), or athletic shoes will be allowed.

Although a collar is provided, most choose not to attach the collar.

MALE ATTIRE

All will wear a dress shirt and dress pants. An appropriate tie is suggested.

No jeans, shorts, or T Shirt of any type will be allowed.

Clothing with any pictures or wording will not be allowed.

All will wear dress shoes with socks that coordinate with their attire.

No athletic shoes, no flip flops, no sandals and no house shoes (slippers) will be allowed.

CAP AND GOWN

Sizes do get mixed up.  Be sure and try on both the Cap and Gown as soon as possible.

The cap will be worn with the top of the cap as flat as possible, – NOT at an angle.

The gown will be pressed (free of wrinkles ) and neat.

                Caution:  Use an iron with very, very low heat . 

                Please take the gown out of plastic wrapper and hang it up as soon as you get it home.

The tassel will be worn on the right side of the head and moved to the left after the graduates cross the stage.

CONDUCT

All graduates will be required to be in the staging area no later than 5:45 p.m.  Arrive early to allow time to park.  After 6:15, no one will be admitted to the line of march.  There will be no bubbles, bells, beach balls, frisbees, horns or other paraphernalia that will distract or disrupt the ceremony.  Students that have disruptive items may be removed from the line. Caps with writing on them will be confiscated during the line-up and will not be returned. All students will act in a dignified manner before, during, and after the ceremony.

CONSEQUENCES

All graduates who are inappropriately dressed will be sent home to change. There will be no exceptions.

Any toys, etc. will be confiscated.  Students bringing these items will have their diplomas held.

Any students acting out, either on the stage or while on the graduation floor, will have their diplomas held. Diplomas that are withheld will not be released until May 28. NO EXCEPTIONS.