Dear Parents/Guardians:

We proudly take this opportunity to welcome you to our 2024 graduation ceremony at San Clemente High School. The ceremony will take place in Thalassa Stadium at San Clemente High School on Thursday, May 30, 2024, beginning promptly at 4:00 pm, lasting approximately an hour and a half. The San Clemente staff is excited about this event and would like to send our graduates on their way with a spirited, yet dignified, graduation ceremony. Our goal is to provide an outstanding commencement event that will remain with our graduating seniors and their families as a positive memory. 

 

 

 

Additional Ticket Sales:    Based on our permanent stadium seating, we can only accommodate six (6) guests per graduate, thus, every senior will receive six complimentary tickets.  Families that will require more than the complimentary six (6) tickets will have the opportunity to purchase additional tickets for $15 each beginning April 15, 2024.  Additional tickets are available for purchase, cash or credit only (no checks), at our Activities window, and can only be purchased by current SCHS seniors with a current SCHS ID card or their parent.  The tickets will be on sale before school, at break, and during lunch.  All tickets will be distributed to SCHS seniors on Wednesday, May 29th during our ticket/cap and gown distribution event held in the Aux Gym from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.  The funds from the additional ticket sales will help offset the cost incurred for the rental of additional chairs, set-up and security.  This system will allow us to accommodate a large number of guests while providing a safe, orderly and dignified ceremony.   

 

Student Schedule:.  A mandatory graduation rehearsal will be held on the stadium field starting promptly at 9:00 am on Thursday, May 30th.  Seniors must be present at the rehearsal in order to walk in the afternoon ceremony.  Students must be on time for both the graduation rehearsal (9:00 am) and the final ceremony (2:45 pm).

 

Student Parking:  Students are required to park on the upper campus for graduation.  Parking stalls will be added to the blacktop and grass area and will be reserved for graduating senior students only until 2:45 pm.  This will allow graduating seniors an easy walk down the hill to the auxiliary gym for processional line-up.  Graduates must report to the auxiliary gym no later than 2:45 pm for the processional lineup.   Students MUST be on time.

 

Student Appropriate Attire/Behavior:   Distribution of previously purchased or loaner caps and gowns will take place on Wednesday, May 29th, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at the Stadium Snack Bar.  Valedictorians will be able to exchange their black gown for a white one at this time if needed.  We recommend our male students to dress in a collared shirt, tie, and nice pants.  For our female students, we recommend wearing a nice sun dress, or a blouse and nice pants.  Jeans, shorts, hats and flip-flop sandals are inappropriate and unacceptable for a dignified ceremony.  Cell phones, cameras, flowers, purses, water bottles and any other items are not permitted on the field during the graduation ceremony.  Cap and gowns may NOT be altered in anyway, including decorations on the caps.

 

Student Footwear:   Students CANNOT wear high-heeled shoes during the ceremony; the heel of such shoes easily sinks into the artificial turf of the field and is a tripping hazard.   Security will check student footwear prior to students entering the field.  Students wearing high heeled shoes will be asked to remove their shoes.  These can be picked up after the ceremony.  Wedge shoes with flat soles are recommended.  Our suggestion is to please wear comfortable flat shoes during the ceremony and change into your footwear of choice following the ceremony.

 

Student Etiquette:  Graduates will enter the stadium in an orderly manner and will remain seated during most of the ceremony.   Our goal is to allow each and every graduate his or her moment in the spotlight.  It is expected that graduates refrain from talking to other classmates during the presentation of diplomas.  Noisy or visual distractions such as noise-makers, signs, fireworks, beach balls, or other distractions take the focus away from our graduates and are not allowed in the stadium.    Students violating graduation policies will be removed to a restricted area and released to a parent following the ceremony.  In such situations, the diploma will be withheld pending a parent /administrator conference.

 

Diplomas:  As each senior’s name is called, he or she will receive a diploma cover. Following the ceremony,

the actual diploma inserts will be distributed at the grass athletic field in front of the stadium.  Graduates that will not be participating in the ceremony may pick-up their diplomas from their Counselors on Friday, May 31st.  The Guidance Office is open from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.  Please call the office first to verify they will be available during the time you wish to come.

 

Outstanding Fines:  Any student with outstanding fines (library, athletic, or activities) will not be allowed to participate in the graduation exercise.  Students with any outstanding debt will be able to take care of this debt on or before May 29th, prior to picking up their cap and gown.

 

 

Seating:  Seating in the stadium is available on a first-come, first-served basis, in the bleachers as well as additional seating on the track.  The stadium gates will open at 2:30 pm for all guests.  We strongly discourage guests from lining up at the stadium prior to 2:30 pm, as all ticketed guests will have a seat.

 

Handicapped Seating:   Please respect the roped-off handicapped sections.  Only one caretaker is permitted to remain with each handicapped guest.   All handicapped guests and his/her companion will require a ticket. Please note that the ceremony will be taking place outdoors, in late-May, and the weather will likely be very hot and in direct sunlight.  Please plan accordingly.

 

Parent/Visitor Field Access:  Parents and guests are not allowed on the stadium field at any time before or during the ceremony.  Following the ceremony, graduates will proceed to the grass athletic field in front of the stadium pick up their diploma inserts.  Parents and guests will meet the graduates on the grass field in front of the stadium. 

 

Parking:   SCHS has a very large graduating class and an extremely large crowd is expected.  Parking and traffic congestion is always a challenge; therefore, an early arrival is recommended.  The stadium parking lot entrance is reserved for handicapped or special needs parking.  For people with special needs, who do not have handicapped placards, please park in the stadium parking lot, as golf cart shuttles will be available to transport our guests. 

 

Parents are strongly encouraged to park at the San Clemente Outlet Mall in the back near the customer service center.  Shuttle busses will be available to transport parents and guests from the Outlet Mall to the school from 2:00 pm to 3:45 pm.  Shuttle busses will also be available to transport parents and guests back to the Outlet Mall immediately following the graduation ceremony.  Additional parent and guest parking will be available in the Presidio lot and there is some limited street parking near upper campus on Calle Empalme. 

 

We know that as parents of graduating seniors you appreciate the need for a serious approach to conducting this very special celebration.  Graduation ceremonies are not a given right; they are a privilege.  It is truly a special time to recognize our high school graduates.

 

If you have any questions regarding graduation or need more information, please contact our Activities Director, Matthew Reid at mfreid@capousd.org 

 

If you have any questions regarding Cap and Gown purchases or other senior product information, please call Jack Nicholson at Jostens at (714) 751-0260.

 

If you wish to borrow a cap and gown from the school, It is imperative that you visit the Activities Office to reserve one.  

 

 

 

Senior Brunch - May 29th