Senior Events Newsletter
Updated for Covid-19
PLEASE READ COMPLETELY
JUNE 5 - DIPLOMA PRESENTATION & GRADUATION PARADE @ 5:00 PM
STAGGERED ARRIVAL TIMES BY LAST NAME
The parade will officially begin at 5:00. But we are asking students to arrive using the staggered times below to help with the flow of traffic. See map of parking lot below with how to enter the student lot along Sequioa Avenue and move through the parking lot. The green icons are where students will pick up a bag of goodies. It will include the parade flag as well as an index card, asking for the phonetic spelling of their name. Students need to complete this before getting to the front lot.
4:30-4:45 A-F (Gates will not open until 4:30)
4:45-5:00 G-N
5:00-5:15 O-Z
DIPLOMA PRESENTATION
At 5:00 on Friday, June 5th, we will start the graduation parade with the presentation of diplomas at SSHS. Students must watch the video to understand how to exit the vehicle and get their diploma. SVPD and SSHS staff will be available to provide instruction with how to move through the lot.
GRADUATION PARADE
The parade route can be found in the image below. From Cochran Street, students will enter the neighborhood where Garden Grove Elementary is located. Along the route there are a number of spots for friends and families to park and cheer on their student. We encourage friends and family to come out with signs and decor to celebrate their graduates. The parade will be done in partnership with the Simi Valley Police Department and the City of Simi Valley to ensure that social distancing guidelines are honored and that there is the least possible impact on our neighbors.
IMPORTANT NOTES
- Guidelines were released from the district and SVPD regarding the parade. Please read below.
- Graduates should be wearing their cap and gowns.
- Students should sit in the front, passenger side of the car.
- One vehicle per family is permitted.
- The event will be livestreamed on our school Facebook page. This would be viewable so students can watch their peers names being called, as well as for any friends or family across the country who would like to join the livestream.
- Please follow all traffic rules.
- PLEASE BE ON TIME.
STUDENT LOT - STAGING AREA
PARADE ROUTE
JUNE 5 - VIRTUAL CEREMONY
Friday, June 5th at 8:00pm
The virtual graduation will include a student slide that shares their senior portrait, any honors they may have earned, and a message. We will have the principal, as well as a few students from the graduating class, address the students with a traditional speech. It will also include a performance by some of our students. Please use the link below to view the virtual ceremony.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Below are three links to help us celebrate our students this week. Please refer to this for the different events.
SENIOR AWARD VIDEO
For those students who are being an honored with an award or scholarship, parents should have received an invitation via email for the Senior Awards Watch Party.
Tuesday, June 2nd at 7:00pm
GRADUATION PARADE FACEBOOK LIVESTREAM
Watch our students live as their names are read in the Graduation Parade on Friday night.
Friday, June 5th at 5:00pm
VIRTUAL GRADUATION CEREMONY
The virtual graduation will include a student slide that shares their senior portrait, any honors they may have earned, and a message. We will have the principal, as well as a few students from the graduating class, address the students with a traditional speech. It will also include a performance by some of our students. The link below includes a countdown to the event.
Friday, June 5th at 8:00pm
LIBRARY HOLDS
DIGITAL SIGNING OF YEARBOOKS
Jostens has launched Yearbook Digital Signing Pages, a one-of-a-kind web experience that provides students with a fun and interactive experience that results in a printable permanent keepsake. It's available and free for all students whether they purchased a yearbook or not. Check it out at http://yearbooksigning.jostens.com." No www. Students will be able to download a PDF of all that was written, print it out and put it in the back of your yearbook.
SENIOR EVENT CALENDAR
In most cases, details of these events are included in the specified section below. See rest of newsletter for specific information.
May
- 5/4 - Last day to update name on diploma
- 5/8 - Cap and Gown Orders Due
- 5/8 - Audition Speeches and Performances Due
- 5/15 - Last day to submit for Senior Shout-Outs
- 5/15 - Student Should Receive Email for Virtual Graduation Portal
- 5/19 - Personalized Virtual Grad Slide - Due by 3:00PM
- 5/22 - Senior Exit Survey Due
- 5/25 - Custom Mask Order Due
- 5/26 - Textbook Return & Locker Cleanout
June
- 6/2 - Senior Award Video Available
- 6/3 - Distribution of Graduation Packages (see schedule below)
- 6/5 - Graduation Parade 5:00pm
- 6/5 - Virtual Ceremony at 8:00pm
- 6/5 - Last day to request transcripts
- 6/9 & 6/10 - Pick Up Diplomas and Photos
Senior Social event is to be determined.
JUNE 9 & 10 - PICTURES and DIPLOMAS
On June 9th and 10th, using a staggered schedule, we will invite students back on campus to pick up their actual diplomas. Students will be able to take pictures in their caps and gowns, with their immediate families, using our graduation stage backdrop.
TBD - SENIOR SOCIAL
We are committed to providing the students a chance to get together when the restrictions are lifted next school year and government officials allow. This will allow students to say their farewells, take pictures and sign yearbooks.
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
MESSAGE FROM O'CONNOR BROTHERS
Dear Class of 2020 Parents and Graduates:
During this difficult time, we want to let you know how sorry we are about the disappointing circumstances that have postponed your exciting and memorable senior events.
Although we are currently closed and working from home, we are still able to complete your senior portrait orders remotely. We hope you are managing to stay safe and well during these trying times.
If you have a need for senior portraits or announcements, we want you to know that you can depend on us to provide these for you. You can contact us by email at info@oconnorbros.net or you can leave a message on our by phone by calling us at (805) 306-9542
In order to help make things easier for our customers, we are offering the following specials:
- Any new order, over $100, placed from April 27th thru May 9th, will receive 1 free 8x10.
- Any new order over $200, placed from April 27th thru May 9th, will include 1 free 8x10 plus an additional 8 free wallets.
- It is still not too late to order announcements. A set of 25, including envelopes, costs $49.95. A second set of announcements or a set of thank-you notes is only $39.95.
We are still able to fill these orders in approximately two-weeks time.
We have enjoyed serving you and we wish you all good health and happiness!
Sincerely,
Jim & Josie O’Connor
SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS
Scholarship applications are accessible via googleclassroom (codexq75jrk) or through Naviance. Make sure to check out the Emblem Club, the Elks Lodge, and the Conejo Simi Moorpark Assoc. of Realtors (to name a few) that WILL issue a scholarship to a SSHS graduating Senior.
MOORPARK COLLEGE 2020-2021
Students attending Moorpark College - Please check the googleclassroom (code xq75jrk) for important information and resources to help guide you as you plan your Fall semester.
REFUNDS
Deposits made for Prom and/or Grad Nite will be refunded. If we are able to provide some sort of Prom, we can collect for tickets at a later date. Please contact Yvonne Cruz, our ASB clerk, for refunds. yvonne.cruz@simivalleyusd.org
Counselors' Corner
Letters were mailed home the last week of January to each senior parent with information on their student’s status for graduation. Please review them as a family to ensure your student is on track for graduation and/or taking necessary steps to recover any missing credits. For any questions regarding your student’s graduation status, contact your student's counselor:
- Ms. Thompson (A-F): devyn.thompson@simivalleyusd.org
- Mrs. Hotz (G-N): lisa.hotz@simivalleyusd.org
- Ms. McMahon (O-Z): kelsey.mcmahon@simivalleyusd.org
Please see the Senior Clearance Letter for more detailed information on who requires clearance and what to do.
• Students who are currently making up credits through an outside program (i.e. Adult Ed., Monte Vista, or online), must turn in their grades by Friday, May 22nd at 3:15 pm to the Counseling Office.
• FINAL TRANSCRIPTS for colleges and universities must be requested through this link by Friday, June 5th at 3:15 pm.
MAY 4 - NAME ON DIPLOMA
The list of names for diplomas needs to go to the printer on Monday, May 4th. If we have not heard from a family, we will use the name as it is entered in Aeries. Please contact Mrs. Kiely for updating the names on diplomas.
This has been completed.
MAY 8 - GRADUATION SPEECHES DUE
Whatever graduation will look like we will still have student speakers and hope to have a performance. In addition to our ASB President and our Valedictorian, we will have one more student speaker. All members of the Class of 2020 are eligible to try out for the speaker or song presenter for this year's graduation.
If you would like to be selected to present a speech on one of the following topics, please have your typed speech emailed to Mr. Guzzo by 3:00 P.M. on Friday, May 8th.
Topics:
- Importance of Milestones and Memories in Life
- From Here to Anywhere
- What defines the Class of 2020?
Speeches should last no longer than 2 minutes in duration!
This has been completed.
MAY 8 - CAPS and GOWN ORDERS DUE
Even though the Graduation ceremony will not be a traditional one, we still are planning for an opportunity for our graduates to wear the traditional academic regalia. Students will be able to wear their cap and gowns and have their names announced at the school before a processional parade to honor their accomplishments.
If you still wish to order a cap and gown, please consider doing so. We have communicated with Jostens and they stated that graduates who order by this Friday, May 8th will be able to receive the items by June 2nd. Please go to the Jostens website to place an order jostens.com.
Please email Mrs. Fernandes if you have any questions.
This has been completed.
MAY 8 - MUSICAL PERFORMANCE DUE
If you would like to sing a solo or small ensemble song, please video record yourself and submit the recording to Mr. Guzzo by 3:00 P.M. on Friday, May 8th.
MAY 15 - SENIOR SHOUT OUTS
EMAILS FOR PERSONALIZING THE GRADUATION SLIDE
THIS IS DUE BY 3:00pm ON TUESDAY, MAY 19th.
Last Friday you should have received an email from Envision Virtual Graduation, with an email address of: support@envisionproav.atlassian.net.
The information in this email from Envision will help you to make your student card personalized for your graduation. Please make sure to click on the student portal login link, which is step 1. If you need help they also provide a link to submit a service request (below step 1). I have also attached their guide to help explain the process.
This email may have been in your inbox, or it may have landed in your spam folder. Please make sure to do everything that you need to with your personalized card and have it submitted to them by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, May 19th.
GUIDELINES FOR UPLOADING IMAGES
- Upload senior portraits only.
- If senior portraits are not uploaded, the school will replace with a senior portrait.
- If no senior portraits are available, then the pictures should be nice, semi-formal, or formal. This only applies to a few students.
- Pictures should only contain the graduate, not other people.
EMAIL NOT RECEIVED
If you did not receive an invite, or have any other questions, please contact the Virtual Graduation Service Desk.
SSHS CUSTOM MASKS - ORDER DUE 5/25 BY 3:00PM
Performing Arts Boosters, in partnership with SSHS ASB, has purchased SSHS 2020 face masks for every senior. Since our seniors will be exiting the car to receive their diploma cover, they will have a mask handy, to wear at that time. We are rushing this order so the masks can be included in the Senior packets which will be given out on June 3.
We would like to offer our parents and families the opportunity to purchase masks for themselves as well, but time is short. (Picture Attached)
Due to the need to turn this second order around quickly, the deadline for your order is today at 3:00 pm. Please send your orders to reneeandbrentgold@gmail.com before this deadline. The Monday deadline will guarantee the masks will be here by 6/4 according to our printer and they are working with us to potentially speed up this process.
Because our rush pricing changes with the number of masks ordered, we will count all the orders and then Renee will respond back to your email with a price per mask. Masks will NOT exceed $18.75 each but could go much lower if we receive a large order. If you wish to pay the higher amount regardless, all funds in excess of our expense will be used solely for the 2020-2021 school year SSHS Performing Arts Booster scholarship fund for all performing arts students.
Once you are contacted with official mask price, all funds MUST be paid via Boosters Paypal account - treasurer@sspab.org no later than 4:30pm in order to confirm your order. To speed up the final count, please forward a copy of your receipt via email to reneeandbrentgold@gmail.com in order for your mask purchase to be processed.
We want to state again that your Senior HAS a mask.
These are for purchase for all of our seniors' family members; for your senior's parade driver; if you want them for senior graduation pictures the following week; or even if you want them for a memento of this very unique graduation year.
There is no requirement to purchase these masks in order to participate.
If you do not have a Paypal account but can use Venmo, please contact Renee as well for alternative payment.
MAY 22 - SENIOR EXIT SURVEY
The Senior Exit Survey is now ready in Naviance! Log in and click on "tasks assigned to me". Please complete the survey by Friday, May 22nd. It includes questions about your time at Santa Susana High School and your plans for the future. Please contact your counselor or Mrs. Wigdor with any questions.
MAY 26 - TEXTBOOK RETURNS and LOCKER CLEAN OUT
On May 26th we will have seniors on campus to complete any of the following... See details of the schedule below.
- Clean out lockers
- Return textbooks
- Return instruments, cameras, or any other classroom material that is meant to be returned to the school.
- If necessary, pick up medications.
- Pickup yearbooks if they are ready. If not, they will be picked up on June 3rd when cap and gowns are distributed.
- Clear library fines.
YEARBOOKS
JUNE 2 - SENIOR AWARDS
Email invitation was sent on May 28th at 8:00pm. A reminder email will be sent on June 2nd at 8:30am.
JUNE 3 - DISTRIBUTION OF SENIOR PACKAGES
- Cap and Gowns
- Award Certificates, Cords, and/or Medals
- Senior Award Programs
- Yearbooks (if they were not available for Textbook Returns)
Staff assisting will have gloves and masks for public health safety.
Santa Susana Magnet High School
#whereyoucanbeyou
Website: https://www.santasusana.org
Location: 3570 Cochran Street, Simi Valley, CA 93063, USA
Phone: (805) 520-6800
Facebook: facebook.com/SantaSusanaHighSchool
Twitter: @santasuhigh