Class of 2023 Newsletter
Issue 2 - May 29, 2023
Senior Check-Out - Saturday, June 3rd, 1:00-5:00, Enter Through Bus Port Doors
Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal is June 9th, 10:00am
Graduation is June 12th, 4:00pm - 15 Days From Today
Senior and Graduation Updates and Reminder
Graduation is 15 days from now. Everything in this newsletter should be read by all seniors who are expected to graduate on June 12th. Parents need to read it as well.
These newsletters are designed to answer as many questions as possible. You can keep going back to the newsletters as well to get additional information. If any information changes, a new newsletter will be sent.
We are getting a lot of questions about the dress code at graduation. Please locate the dress code section below for more information.
Senior Check-Out Reminder
Senior check-out day is Saturday, June 3rd, 1:00pm-5:00pm - Granby's Cafeteria. Students will enter through the bus port door. This is a mandatory event for all seniors who will need to stop in to be checked-out and cleared for graduation. Doors open at 1:00pm and close at 4:45pm. If everyone shows up at 1:00 pm you will wait for a long time. Seniors who are not cleared will not receive their graduation tickets at the rehearsal on June 9th. All seniors will return their Chromebook and MiFi devices at this event, so please have it ready. Please bring cash, check, or card if you have to pay any senior obligations.
Senior Yard Signs
For seniors who paid for their yard sign through the senior package, you will pick them up during the senior check-out on Saturday, 6/3. We ordered a limited number of extra signs which will be sold on a first come, first served basis for $10 each. We will take cash, cash app, or credit card. These can be purchased at the senior check-out on Saturday, 6/3. Once a senior is cleared, they will receive 10 graduation tickets at the rehearsal on June 9th, 10:00 am at Chartway arena. Granby High School is not responsible for lost graduation tickets.
Graduation Rehearsal
YOU DO NOT NEED TO WEAR YOUR CAP & GOWN FOR REHEARSAL.
Attending graduation rehearsal is also mandatory. Parents and guests are not allowed at rehearsal. Students park in the 43rd St. parking garage on the day of rehearsal. Students must arrive to Chartway arena on Friday, June 9th, by 10:00am. and will meet on the outside of the Big Blue Room across from the 43rd St. parking garage. The rehearsal will end at approximately 12:00pm, and students will receive their tickets after rehearsal in the Chartway lobby.
Granby will provide transportation to Chartway Arena from Granby for any student who needs it on the day of the rehearsal. If you are in need of transportation from Granby High School to Chartway Arena on Friday, June 9th, please complete this Google Form here: https://forms.gle/MTptU9hU5jfstt4aA
You will need to be at Granby's bus port no later than 9:15am.
Senior Picnic (RSVP Required First 150 Seniors)
The Senior Picnic has been moved to Northside Park right after Graduation Rehearsal 1:00pm-4:00pm at Shelter 3. It is free for any senior, however you must RSVP. The first 150 seniors who RSVP will be able to attend. No parents and no guests. RSVP Here: https://forms.gle/LypCLCKES2hxmrqW8
Extra Graduation Tickets?
All graduating seniors receive 10 tickets and seniors receive them after rehearsal on June 9th. Granby High School is not responsible for lost tickets. Any senior not using all 10 tickets, may give them to other seniors. On Saturday, June 10th, 9:00am-11:00am, Granby will distribute up to 4 extra tickets to any graduating senior on a first come, first served basis until we run out. Graduating seniors may send a family member to pick these up. These will be distributed at main gym entrance only. The line will form on the outside of the gym ticket booth.
Please feel free to email AskGranby@npsk12.com if we missed something and you have a question.
Sincerely,
Mr. Smigiel - Principal
In this Issue:
- Mark Your Calendar
- Important Dates
- Senior Final Exams
- Are you ready to walk across the stage?
- Buy Your Yearbook Today
- Graduation Dress Code
- Customized Stoles Prohibited
- Approved Stoles and Honor Tassel
- Approved Honor Cords
- Ordering Honors Regalia
- Jostens Ordering a Cap & Gown
- School Counselor Information
Important Dates
Tuesday, May 30th - Friday, June 2nd - Senior Final Exams, See below
Wednesday, May 31st - IB Stole Ceremony, National Honor Society Cord Ceremony, 6:00pm, Auditorium
Saturday, June 3rd - Granby Senior Check-Out Day, Time 1:00pm-5:00pm
Monday, June 6th - June 10th - Senior Final Exams
Friday, June 9th - Graduation Rehearsal, 10:00am, Chartway Arena, 4320 Hampton Blvd. Norfolk, VA 23529
Friday, June 9th - Senior Picnic @ Northside Park, Shelter 3, 1:00pm
Monday, June 12th - Graduation, 4:00pm, Chartway Arena, 4320 Hampton Blvd. Norfolk, VA 23529 - Students Arrive to Chartway Arena by 2:30pm.
Senior Final Exams (May 30th-June 2nd)
- Tuesday, May 30th - Students will follow their normal schedule and take their Final Exams in Blocks 1 & 7
- Wednesday, May 31st - Seniors will follow their normal schedule and take their Final Exams in Blocks 6 & 8
- Thursday, June 1st - Seniors will take their final exams for Bells 3 & 5 and have early dismissal at 11:30am. Seniors will eat first lunch at 10:25am or may leave once the bell rings at 10:20am. Seniors will go to their Bell 3 class during Bell 1, and their Bell 5 class during Bell 3. NPS Transportation will be provided for those seniors who need it at 11:30am. Seniors who need transportation will sit in the auditorium after first lunch until buses arrive for dismissal at 11:30.
- Friday, June 2nd - Seniors will take their final exams for Bells 2 & 4 and have early dismissal at 11:30am. Seniors will eat first lunch at 10:25am or may leave once the bell rings at 10:20am. Seniors will follow their normal Bell 2 & 4 schedule that morning. NPS Transportation will be provided for those seniors who need it at 11:30am. Seniors who need transportation will sit in the auditorium after first lunch until buses arrive for dismissal at 11:30.
After June 2nd, there should be no seniors in the building until the end of the school year, unless they are taking required SOL tests to graduate, or attending class to pass in order to graduate. Seniors who come to school who have been cleared for graduation after the June 3rd check-out will be asked to leave school property.
Are you ready to walk across the stage?
Graduation is right around the corner. Are you ready?
School Counselors sent out senior fail letters last month and have been in contact with seniors who are in jeopardy of failing and not graduating. There is still some time for some seniors to salvage a grade, however there are some seniors who will be receiving news that they cannot graduate on June 12th and will need to attend summer school to graduate. Summer school registration can be found here and a flyer can be download below: https://tinyurl.com/NPS-SSRegistration
**We do not gift diplomas. Every single student will need to meet graduation requirements to walk across the stage in June. Summer school has a separate graduation in August.**
For seniors who are on track - don't drop the ball in the last quarter. Attend class, turn in assignments, and pass Quarter 4.
Do you need some motivation or need someone to help you get serious about graduation?
Contact your graduation coach Mr. Archie at warchie@nps.k12.va.us, your Principal Mr. Smigiel at AskGranby@npsk12.com, your 12th Grade Assistant Principals Ms. Hillian, lhillia2@nps.k12.va.us (Last Name A-I) or Ms. Self at dself@nps.k12.va.us, (Last Name J-Z) or your school counselor:
If seniors aren't sure or still have questions about remaining graduation needs (Specific SOL tests, Industry Certification, CPR/First Aid, class credits needed) please be sure to see their school counselor now.
Margaret Payne - Students with last name: A-Cal
Shonda Deberry - Students with last name: Cam-Ew
Jessica Mangual - Students with last name: Ex-Hq
Heidi Kirby - Students with last name: Hr- Ln
School Counseling Office B Schedule an appointment with your counselor Here!
Stanley Jones - Students with last name: Lo-Pan
Shenita Webb - Students with last name: Pao-She
Phyllis Patton - Students with last name: Shf-Tav
Kim Singleton - Students with last name: Taw-Z
Seniors were given the opportunity to recover grades for Quarters 1 & 2 for select courses through Edmentum and should have completed this by now.
We are all here to help, but can't help you if we don't know.
Summer School Registration Information
Yearbooks can only be purchased this way now
If you wish to order a yearbook, please order online HERE. Yearbooks are now $55.00. Once we sell out there is no way to order another one. Yearbooks are expected to be delivered the week of June 12th. Students who paid through the senior package and those who paid in advance will have their yearbook reserved.
GRADUATION DRESS CODE [PLEASE READ]
Graduation Dress Code is Enforced By NPS - Start preparing now
Granby's Cap & Gown are Navy Blue not Royal Blue.
We are getting a lot of questions about dress code - specifically, can graduates modify or personalize their cap and/or gown or wear customized stoles? The answer is NO - graduates cannot modify their cap and gown or stoles. Please see below.
Any graduate who does not follow the dress code will not be allowed to walk. The graduation dress code was decided by NPS and all high school graduates must follow these guidelines.
Boys:
• White shirt
• Tie
• Dark dress pants
• Dark socks
• Dress Shoes - No Stilettos
• Graduation gown
• Graduation cap (NO MODIFICATIONS/DECORATIONS)
• No Customized Stoles (No baby pictures, slogans, or sayings, etc.)
• Tassel (worn on the right until told to move it during the appropriate time in the ceremony)
• For Honor Graduates: Honor Stole and Tassel Purchased from Josten's
• For IB Graduates: IB Honor Stole given to you by the IB Coordinator
• Honor Cords: Granby has various Honor Societies and Honor Cords. These items must be purchased or received from the Granby High School sponsor of that organization.
*Approved Honor Cords - See Below
• Medals are only worn by the Valedictorian and Salutatorian. Medals from online honor societies are not approved by Norfolk Public Schools.
Girls:
• Dress (that does not show below the graduation gown) OR dark dress pants
• Dark socks (if wearing pants)
• Dress Shoes
• Graduation gown
• Graduation cap (NO MODIFICATIONS/DECORATIONS)
• No Customized Stoles (No baby pictures, slogans, or sayings, etc.)
• Tassle (worn on the right until told to move it during the appropriate time in the ceremony)
• For Honor Graduates: Honor Stole and Tassel Purchased from Josten's
• For IB Graduates: IB Honor Stole given to you by the IB Coordinator
• Honor Cords: Granby has various Honor Societies and Honor Cords. These items must be purchased or received from the Granby High School sponsor of that organization.
*Approved Honor Cords - See Below
• Medals are only worn by the Valedictorian and Salutatorian. Medals from online honor societies are not approved by Norfolk Public Schools.
When choosing clothes for the ceremony, graduating seniors should remember that they may not wear any of the items below:
• No stiletto heels
• No flip-flops
• No boots
• No tennis shoes
Once again: Only NPS approved honor cords and stoles may be worn; no military cords or stoles.
Customized Stoles are Prohibited at Graduation
Only Honor Stoles, IB Stoles, Yellow/Golden Tassel, are Allowed to Be Worn
ROTC Has Special Honor Regalia as Well
Approved Honor Cords
Here is information on approved Honor Cords
Future Business Leaders of America (National Business Honor Society)
Members will receive their cords from Mr. Simmons. They are royal blue and yellow twisted.
Granby NJROTC
Special stoles are provided to those being honored in ROTC. There is a $20 deposit which is returned when the cords are returned. The cords are Vegas Gold with Navy Blue and 4-Silver Stars. See Master Chief Dyer for more information.
National Art Honor Society
Members will be will given cords and tassels. Both are multi-colored/ rainbow. Please see Mr. Fenley or Mrs. Tamura.
National French Honor Society
The colors are Red, White, and Blue. See Madam Keating for more information.
National Latin Honor Society
Please see Ms. White for more information. These cords are purple and silver.
National Honor Society
The cords are Blue and Gold Intertwined and are included as part of dues. These will be given out on May 31st at a combined IB stole / NHS cord ceremony.
National Spanish Honor Society
The cords are red and gold. Please see Ms. Yorke for more information.
Vivace Orchestra
Please see Mr. Larking for more information. The Cords are Triple cords... Black, Silver, &Teal and are provided by the program.
If there are any additional honor cords we may have missed, we will add them to the list for future newsletters.
Honors Regalia - $28 additional to Cap & Gown Package
You can find the same yellow tassel on Amazon for $8.50. The Granby Honor Stole cannot be found on Amazon.
Graduating from any institution can be expensive. If you are an honor grad you could end up spending $78 on your Cap & Gown, and the Academic Regalia.
*Parents - we understand the extra expense for being an honor graduate, however Granby High School does not have the funding to pay for these items. Honor graduates are not required to wear honors regalia, however it is recommended to honor your graduate.
Seniors - Order Your Cap & Gown Now
If you did not order your Cap & Gown in the Fall the price went up.
The standard cap & gown package for Granby High School is now $50.00. You have to use Jostens as they are our contracted vendor for our graduation cap & gowns. You cannot order cap & gowns from outside companies including Amazon because the color will not match. When you get to the order page, Jostens will put up the largest and most expensive packages for you. That is your choice if you want to purchase the extras. If not, look for the package of $50.00 by scrolling down below on the Cap & Gown Packages page.
Where and how do I order?
First, Jostens will be at rehearsal on June 9th and at graduation on June 12th distributing any last minute graduation items. If you order below using the link below and cannot get it to your house in time, they will have it at the dates above.
If not you can follow these directions.
**ORDER HERE**
- The best thing to do is just select the direct link above. If not it gets confusing as Jostens wants you to buy a bunch of other items.
- Once you verify Granby High School - Comets, scroll down and you will see four tabs: a class jewelry tab, graduation tab, letter jacket tab, and custom spirit wear store, click on the graduation tab.
- The page that loads will be a number of Senior packages. If you would like to see additional options, scroll down and click shop all. This will show you additional packages.
- If you continue to scroll down you will see ala cart items. Select the Cap and Gown unit that says "$50.00".
- It will run you through a bunch of other types of orders including making you think you need to buy a keepsake tassel. You don't need to buy that or it will add $13.00 to the price. The cap and gown unit comes with the Granby approved tassel.
- Check out and you are done! All senior apparel will ship to your home in 7-10 days. All announcements and cap and gown orders will be delivered at the end of May if it doesn't come to your house.
Additional Graduation Information
TICKETS:
Graduating seniors will receive 10 tickets. Tickets will be in “ticketmaster” format with a barcode for scanning at the door. Seniors get their tickets once they have been cleared and after rehearsal on June 9th.
SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS:
Sign language interpreters will be at Graduation. Section 105, Rows 1-3 will be designated for the hearing impaired.
ADA Seating
ADA drop-off is on the 45th Street side. ODU personnel will assist as needed with ADA and special needs seating.
LifeTouch Photographer
LifeTouch will have two photographers taking pictures of students receiving their diploma. These pictures may be purchased at a later date after graduation. More information, including order forms will be provided in future senior newsletters.
Information from the School Counselor's Office
Need information about scholarships?
Visit Norfolk Public School's Scholarship Station Here: https://www.npsk12.com/domain/4395
Class of 2023 - We need your scholarship and Financial Aid Information
Class of 2023 your new scholarship total is 17.5 million dollars. As your acceptances and financial aid packets start coming in, bring them by Ms. Kirby's office (rm. 207) or Ms. U's office (Rm 235A/Old 09B). Or feel free to email a picture of them to hkirby@nps.k12.va.us or mulanich@nps.k12.va.us. We'd love for your scholarship total to beat the Class of 23's total....which was.....22 million dollars. Reminder-enlistment papers for active duty and the reserves count as scholarship money too.
Contact Us
Main Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:00am - 3:00pm
Email: AskGranby@npsk12.com
Website: https://www.npsk12.com/ghs
Location: 7101 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA, USA
Phone: 757-451-4110
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GranbyHighComets