Salinas High School

Listed below are the parameters within which your promotion/graduation ceremonies must operate.

• Participation in the graduation/promotion ceremony must be following District policy and administrative regulations.
• Caps and gowns will be worn at all high school graduation ceremonies. Middle school is a promotion, not a graduation, but middle schools may wear gowns and no caps.
• The high school graduation ceremony is to recognize the student’s academic achievement. Therefore, only school tassels may be worn except for students who have met the requirements for the California Scholastic Federation (CSF) and/or National Scholastic Federation (NSF). Students may wear their Community Service tassels and/or cords/medals/stoles as appropriate. Students may also wear their “Go for the Gold” pins and Seal of Biliteracy medals as well.
• Other student achievements may be acknowledged in your ceremony program and students may be permitted to stand as a group for public acknowledgment.
• Any student receiving recognition by an outside organization or agency is restricted to wearing that organization’s service pin (approximately the size of a quarter) on their gown if that is in accordance with your site’s graduation or promotion tradition. Cords and/or stoles from student organizations or clubs can be presented and worn during awards ceremonies but not during the graduation or promotion ceremony.
• Students are not encouraged to wear flowers, candy, money, or any other type of leis or decoration around their necks. Schools have the discretion to allow a single flower lei but no other decoration will be allowed to be worn around their neck including club or program-specific cords. Students may not decorate caps with words, art, or other objects unless the “adornment” is recognized as a cultural tradition. Students must get administrative pre-approval to ensure that such adornment is “religious, ceremonial, or cultural.”
• Each school will continue its prior practice of informing students and parents of any requirements and enforcing those requirements before the processional.
• Most of you have previously prohibited students or spectators from having balloons at the graduation ceremony since it impairs the vision of other spectators. Parents should be so informed to avoid any difficulties upon entering the graduation ceremony.
• Please include the assigned Board member as part of your ceremony and program. Please be sure their name is spelled correctly on your program. They should be introduced, given the opportunity to read the statement authorizing diplomas, and participate in the awarding of diplomas.
• Limit speaker times. The band is allowed to play at the ceremonies, the Choir can perform The National Anthem and you can have an ASL interpreter. The goal is to have ceremonies completed in 90-110 minutes.

The above guidelines will help ensure a serious promotion/graduation, one focusing on students' accomplishments and success.