CLASS OF 2020 GRADUATION CENTRAL
THE WOODLANDS HIGH SCHOOL
Principal Message:
Graduation Guidelines The Woodlands High School
The Governor of Texas, Commissioner of Education, and Montgomery County has provided schools and communities guidelines under which assemblies and events can occur. We ask that students and guests demonstrate a spirit of cooperation and patience with staff, and other guests as we work to implement the required guidelines.
The following are the expectations for all guests and graduates for June 2, 2020 (8 a.m. and 8 p.m.).
Screening – Prior to arriving at the stadium, all guests and graduates should self-screen and be able to answer “no” to each area below (please know that stadium staff will ask) if graduates or attendees have had any of the following symptoms:
- cough
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- chills
- repeated shaking with chills
- muscle pain
- headache
- sore throat
- loss of taste or smell
- diarrhea
- feeling feverish or a temperature greater than or equal to 100 degrees Fahrenheit
- known close contact with a person who is lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 if exposure to the active case occurred within the last 14 days
Those found with any of these signs or symptoms are unable to enter.
Masks – We recommend that guest and graduates wear a mask to limit the
spread of COVID-19. Please know that this is a recommendation by the State and local governments but not required.
Parking, Entrance Gates, Guest Group Seating:
All entrances to the parking areas, Stadium, and guest group seating are color-coded to help balance the attendance load into and out of the stadium to promote social distancing. Please make sure that you follow your color and park, enter, and sit in the areas designated for your group. Graduates will follow the same color of their guest group to make it easier. Please remember to follow social distancing guidelines during this time, and please keep at least 6 feet from other guest groups. All gates will open one hour prior to the start of the ceremony. Remember – traffic will heavy so it will be imperative that graduates and guests allow for appropriate travel time to the stadium.
Please review the following specific guidelines for seating, entering, and exiting the stadium.
- Seating – We have arranged all seating to meet the guidelines for social distancing. For guests, there will be four seats between family groups on the same row and one empty row in front of and behind each family group. Graduates will have 6 feet of space on all sides of their chair. We expect all graduates and guests to sit in their assigned seats once they arrive at the stadium. We ask that everyone respect the space of others and not get closer than 6 feet to someone outside of their immediate family group. We will have school personnel working in the stands to help people find their seats and support social distancing. If you have a concern or issue, please see one of the stadium workers or one of the TWHS staff ushers for help.
- Handicapped Seating – If you have a guest that needs handicapped seating or is unable to climb the stairs, please see one of the TWHS staff ushers and they will assist you to an appropriate seat.
- Entering the Stadium – You will be asked if you have completed the health self-screener as you enter. We ask that you enter the stadium through the gate that matches the color on your ticket based on the map provided. Please maintain a minimum of 6 feet between your family group and other guest groups. Once you enter the stadium, we ask that guests find their seats and not leave that area until the ceremony is over. Directions to exit the stadium will be announced at the conclusion of the ceremony and facilitated by an usher.
- Exiting the Stadium – Once the ceremony ends, we will dismiss the graduates and guests in the stands in limited rows by section to promote social distancing. Please follow the guidelines at the end of the ceremony. Once you are dismissed, we ask that you focus on staying at least 6 feet from other family groups and proceed to your assigned exit. Graduates will be expected to leave the stadium and meet their families in the parking lot at their vehicles. Graduates will exit the field using the gates on either side of the north end of the field. Guests may exit the stands once their graduate has been recognized on the field. We ask that if guests choose to leave the ceremony after their student has been recognized that they exit quietly and that they do not block the view of other guests who are waiting to see their graduate be recognized.
Graduate Entrance to the Field:
All graduates will park and enter in their color-assigned lot and gate. Once students enter the stadium, they will follow their assigned color entrance to the field. There are three assigned entrances on each side of the stadium: one on the scoreboard end by the front of the stands; a middle tunnel underneath the stands; and one by the front of the stands by the Natatorium. Students will need to show their ticket to gain access to the field. Once on the field, students will report to a table on the sidelines to pick up a call card in the event they do not have the card they received in their ticket envelope. The card will have their name, row, and seat number on it. Graduates should find their seats as soon as possible. Please remember that at all times students must practice social distancing and keep at least 6 feet between themselves and other graduates. Graduates should arrive at the stadium no later than 45 minutes before the scheduled start time of the ceremony.
Dress For Graduation:
It is recommended that female graduates wear a dress or dress pants, a blouse, and flat-soled dress shoes. High heels are not recommended as it is extremely difficult to walk on the turf in heels. Male graduates are recommended to wear slacks, a collared shirt, and dress shoes. Flip flops and tennis shoes are not permitted. All guest groups are asked to dress in an appropriate manner for the occasion and the weather.
Bags, Purses, & Other Items:
The gates to the Woodforest Bank Stadium will open at 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. for each respective graduation ceremony. Graduates should arrive at that time and report to the field to locate their seat. All graduates and guests are subject to having belongings searched at the gates.
Graduates are to observe the following rules regarding personal items at graduation:
- No bags, backpacks, or purses are allowed in the graduation setup on the field
- Students must have graduation caps and gowns
- Decorations on hats or gowns are not permitted
- Only school-issued cords, stoles, and regalia are permitted to be worn
- No noise makers or other items of distraction are allowed
- Students are allowed to have personal cell phones in their possession
Guests are to observe the following:
- No bags or purses larger than 8.5” x 11” (the size of a standard piece of paper) will be allowed into the venue
- No backpacks of any kind will be permitted
- All bags, regardless of size or type are subject to search
- Diaper bags will be allowed, only when accompanied by the child
- Bleacher seats (17” wide and 13” deep max) or cushions are also permitted
- The following items are not permitted in the stadium: weapons of any kind, illegal drugs, alcohol, signs, umbrellas, balloons, noise makers, fat heads, etc
- Woodforest Bank Stadium is not responsible for bags or personal items left unattended in the venue or outside the gates. All unattended items will be discarded immediately.
Tickets:
All graduates will pick-up a graduation ticket packet on Thursday May 28, 2020. Tickets will be available for pickup 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at one of the following curbside pickup locations based on the student’s last name:
· Students’ last names A-H – The Woodlands High School Senior Campus bus ramp
· Students’ last names I-Q – The Woodlands 9th Grade Campus bus ramp
· Students’ last names R-Z – McCullough Junior High School bus ramp
Students should be responsible for picking up their ticket packet at the prescribed locations. In the packet, students will receive 1 graduate ticket and 4 guest tickets. Tickets will be color coded and will note section and seat number as well as home or visitor side. Families with babies and toddlers may bring them to the ceremony without a ticket; however, they will be required to sit in a parent’s lap upon arrival to the seating area where they must remain until the end of the ceremony. Small children are not permitted to play or roam down the row in front, beside, or behind the seats. Guests must have tickets as there will not be any admittance to the ceremonies without a ticket. Please know that all 4 guests for a specific graduate must sit in the assigned seats for that graduate. Having members of another graduate’s group sit with you may put you, your family, and the other family’s health in jeopardy. Therefore, if you have extra tickets, sharing with someone outside of your household is not recommended. In some instances, the graduate’s ticket may be a color other than the color assigned to their family group. If this occurs, the color of the family/guest group tickets should be used to determine parking.
Water:
The stadium will be selling water in each color area for guests. All graduates will be provided water on the field.
Pictures:
Flash Photography will be at graduation. They will take a picture of the graduate on stage and then another picture in front of a green screen. Flash will send out information on how to access the photos a few weeks after graduation concludes. Parents and guests are more than welcome to take pictures of the graduates from their seats, but guests are not allowed near the graduate seating area to take pictures nor are they allowed to take pictures from the isles or at the railings. If you have questions regarding graduation pictures, you may contact Flash Photography at (214) 443-9393 or www.flashphotography.com. This year’s graduation will be live streamed. There will be a link on the TWHS website to access the ceremony. A DVD of the ceremony will be available for $25 and can be purchased at the webstore. In the envelope in which the student will receive their tickets, will be a place card with the student’s name and seat number and walk order for graduation. The back side of the card will have information for the student to fill out for Flash Photography. The student will hand the card filled out to the graduation announcer. The announcer will announce the student at graduation, the photographer will then use the card to associate the picture with the identity of the student.
Arrival Times:
The pre-graduation program starts approximately 20 minutes prior to the designated start time. All graduates are asked to arrive and be at their seat by 7:30 a.m. or 7:30 p.m. All guests are asked be in the stadium and seated by 7:45 a.m. or 7:45 p.m. The ceremony will begin promptly at 8 a.m. or 8 p.m.
Ceremony:
The ceremony is expected to last approximately one hour and thirty minutes. A large portion of the program will be pre-recorded so that both ceremonies are similar, and the sound and quality is at its best. The front of the stage for the graduates will be around the 10-yard line in front of the scoreboard. Each graduate will appear on the scoreboard as they cross the stage.
Graduate Behavior:
Please remember that the graduation ceremony is a very special and fun, yet formal and dignified occasion. All participants and guests are expected to conduct themselves in a positive and appropriate manner. Please understand that all graduates and their families deserve to hear their graduate’s name and to be able to celebrate this accomplishment with them. Please do not create a distraction that would diminish this event or take away from any one graduate.
Fines, Books, Equipment, Uniforms, and Fees:
All seniors must ensure all textbooks, library books, equipment/uniforms have been returned and all fees/fines have been cleared. Any senior who has failed to complete these tasks will not receive their diploma until the items have been cleared. All fines, equipment/uniforms, books, and fees must be paid prior to 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 28th.
Scholarship Recipients:
All Recipients: In order to recognize any and all students who receive scholarships from colleges,
community organizations, booster clubs, school organizations, or other organizations, the student must inform Ms. Villegas in the College and Career Center of the scholarship as well as provide documentation and the amount of the award. Please make the notification as soon as the award has been accepted.
Diploma Pick Up :
Graduates will receive their diploma cover at graduation. Graduates will need to pick up their diploma curbside on Wednesday June 3, 2020, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. at the same locations that they received their tickets for graduation.
- Students’ last names A-H – The Woodlands High School Senior Campus bus ramp
- Students’ last names I-Q – The Woodlands 9th Grade Campus bus ramp
- Students’ last names R-Z – McCullough Junior High School bus ramp
Community Scholarships and Booster Club Scholarships:
Students who receive scholarships from organizations such as Rotary Club, community associations, or recognized school booster clubs, with few exceptions, will need to contact the club/organization directly to determine how the award will be distributed. Please be aware that these organizations will be asking for the college/university you will be attending as well as your social security number so that the award is credited to the correct person. Please see the College and Career Center if you need any assistance.
School Organization Scholarships:
In order to utilize a TWHS activity scholarship, you will need to provide the following documents to Ms. Davis, the Finance Secretary at The Woodlands High School, BEFORE October 1, 2020. Students who receive scholarships from school organizations that do not have a formal booster club must turn in the following documents to receive their scholarship:
- Notification letter from the school organization issuing the scholarship
- An invoice, class schedule, dorm assignment, receipt of payment for housing or tuition from the university, etc
- Name and address of the financial aid office at the College/University where the scholarship check will be mailed
- A copy of your College/University ID with your student ID # on it
- Your home address and phone number
The Woodlands High School The Woodlands High School
The Conroe Independent School District (District) is an equal opportunity educational provider and employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in educational programs or activities that it operates or in employment matters. The District is required by Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Active of 1964, as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as Board policy not to discriminate in such a manner.
For information about Title IX rights or Section 504/ADA rights, contact the Title IX Coordinator or the Section 504/ADA coordinator at 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, Texas 77304; (936) 709-7752.
Email: contacttwhs@conroeisd.net
Website: http://twhs.conroeisd.net/
Location: 6101 Research Forest Dr. The Woodlands, TX 77381
Phone: 936 709-1200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheWoodlandsHSCISD
Twitter: @TWHSCISD