Date: April 26, 2018
To: Parents and VHS Candidates for Graduation 2018 From: Dr. Janice Richardson
Re: Graduation Overview
Congratulations to the Class of 2018! The school year will soon be over, followed by a celebration of your achievements on graduation day. Stay focused during these final weeks in school, and do everything necessary so that you may join your classmates in the graduation ceremony.
To receive text messages concerning graduation join Remind for class of 2018.
Text Message: @18 vhs to number 81010
Please read the following information carefully to prepare for graduation day. If you have questions please contact your counselor.
Debts: Please turn in any materials you have checked out from the Media Center by Friday, May 11. Do not return books, etc. to front desk. Return classroom books to classroom teachers before or on day of finals. It is your responsibility to return all textbooks, equipment, uniforms, etc. to the appropriate individual. Any money you owe to Valdosta High School must be paid to Mrs. Gurley to participate in the graduation ceremony and receive your high school diploma. We will not collect money on the day of practice.
Credit Recovery: The last day of afterschool Credit Recovery is Thursday, April 26.
Grades: The last regular day of classes for seniors is Thursday, May 17. Senior final exams will be held Friday, May 18; Monday, May 21; and Tuesday, May 22 during the regularly scheduled class time. Seniors should not be on campus after exams (May 22) unless they have permission from a teacher or an administrator. Teachers and administrators will be responsible for providing the front desk and front gate a list of seniors who have permission to be on campus. A complete final exam schedule can be found online at
Practice: Thursday, May 24, 4:00 p.m., BazemoreHyder Stadium
•You must attend practice to participate in graduation on Friday evening.
•Leave cell phones and other electronic devicesin your car.
•Dress appropriately, according to the school dresscode.
•Parking will be at the stadium.
•Check in with the row marshal upon arrival.
•Graduation practice is open only to students and faculty.
Tickets: No tickets are needed unless we have inclement weather and move graduation to Valdosta High School Gymnasium.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Inclement Weather: In case of inclement weather Valdosta High School graduation will be held Saturday, May 26, 2018, at 7:00 p.m. at BazemoreHyder Stadium. If it is raining Saturday, Valdosta High School graduation will be held Saturday, May 26, at 7:00p.m. in Valdosta High School Gymnasium. Each student will receive 5 tickets
Pictures:A photographer will take pictures of you receiving your diploma at graduation. You will be given the photographer's contact information at graduation practice so that you may order graduation pictures.
Ceremony: Friday, May 25, 2018, BazemoreHyder Stadium
•Allgraduatesshouldarriveby 5:30p.m
•Check in with your row marshal as soon as youarrive.
•Processional begins at 6:45p.m.
•Ceremony begins at 7:00p.m.
•Tell your family and friends to be at the stadium by 6:00p.m.
Parking for Ceremony: VHS staff and handicapped guests may park in the small reserved parking lot off of Williams Street. All others may park in nearby VSU, Board of Education, and T&L lots.
Consequences:Please be advised that school consequences will be enforced for any student arriving to practice or the graduation ceremony under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Students under the influence will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony.
Dress: Female graduates should wear a dark dress, black shoes, or sandals. We recommend shoes with low heels. Male graduates should wear black dress slacks, black socks, black dress shoes, white shirts, and black ties. Family and friends attending as guests should wear Sunday dress clothes. Students are not allowed to wear facial piercings, unnatural hair colors, or any other item that will distract from the dignity of the ceremony. Administrators will determine whether students are dressed appropriately for the graduation ceremony. Students who are not appropriately dressed win not participate in theceremony.
Cap and Gown:Your cap and gown is a uniform and must match everyone else's cap and gown. Only stoles, cords, pins, and medallions distributed by Valdosta High School may be worn in the graduation ceremony. Unpack and hang up your gown as soon as you receive it. This will reduce the wrinkles. Prior to graduation practice make sure that you have:
•Gown (Try on to make sure itfits.)
•Cap (Try on to make sure itfits.)
•Tassel
•Silver cords for National Tech Honorgrads
•Honor grads should havestoles
•Medallion-which all graduates will receive with his/her cap and gown
2018 Cap and Gown:Students must wear the 2018 cap and gown. Students wearing prior year's gown will not be permitted to march.
Cap and Gown Late Order:Cap and gowns will not be available for sale on the day of practice or on the night of graduation. Late cap and gown purchases can be made with the Herff Jones representative. Check with the Herff Jones office (229-382-6837) if you have any questions.
Dignity: Parents, please stand quietly when your student's name is called. Please remember every family member deserves a chance to hear their student's name being called as he or she walks across the stage. Disrupting the ceremony by shouting will take away from the dignity of the event. Time will be allowed after each row has been announced for applause. Faculty monitors and uniformed security will be on hand to deal with anyone who disrupts the ceremony.
Diplomas:Only diploma covers will be given out on stage. Any student who disrupts the ceremony in any way or otherwise cause embarrassment by exhibiting inappropriate behavior before, during, or after the ceremony will have his or her diploma held.
Transcripts:You will be able to upload your final official transcript to Georgia universities and collegesusing If you are attending a non-Georgia college oruniversity,afinaltranscriptrequestform mustbesubmittedonlineattheValdosta HighSchoolwebsite.
HOPE Scholarship:Final Transcripts will be sent up to Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC) as soon as all of the graduates are marked "graduated" in the computer. All final transcripts have to have a status of "G" (graduated) and a graduation date on them before they can be sent up for final HOPE GPA calculations. Valdosta High School does not calculate final HOPE GPA. GSFC is responsible for calculating final HOPE GPA. If you have a question about your HOPE GPA calculation or eligibility status, call 800-505-4732 (HOPE Helpline) and follow the prompts until you get to the right department that can answer your questions. All Georgia high schools have until June 301h to complete and verify their students' final transcripts. The colleges will not see the list of eligible students until sometime in July. VHS sends ALL students' transcripts to GSFC for review. Please note that if you are informed by your college that you are not on the eligible list this means that you did NOT qualify for the HOPE Scholarship.
You can track and check your HOPE GPA on GAfutures. On the main page, locate the tab “MyGAfutures” to look at your transcript and see your calculated GPA. The name on your GAfutures account must match the name that is on your transcript. Do not use nicknames or all lower case letters when setting up your GAfutures account. Also, please verify that the social security number on your transcript is correct to prevent a delay in processing your HOPE Scholarship.