Commencement

 

• Tell your family and friends when and where to go to the ceremonies (at right).
• Ensure that you're passing all your courses.
• Take care of attendance issues.
• Pay all outstanding fees and holds.
• Complete the graduation interest form.
• Pick up your cap and gown beginning from the bookstore
• Provide name pronunciation information.
• Print your Grad Pass and bring it to the ceremony.

 

This information is for the 2023-2024 school year.

• Tell your family and friends when and where to go to the ceremonies (at right).
  • Remind them that only clear bags are permitted inside the building. See below for more information.
• Ensure that you're passing all your courses.
• Take care of attendance issues.
• Pay all outstanding fees and holds.
  • This includes paying for your cap and gown.
• Expect to receive caps, gowns, cords and stoles at Decision Day.
• Submit your preferred name and pronunciation. Click here to access the survey.
• Turn in your volunteer hours to Ms. Asbury from May 1 to 3, but only if you have 75 hours or more. Click here to download the official form.
• Attend graduation rehearsal, tentatively scheduled for 2:30 p.m. May 30 at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center.

 

Women

• Cap
• Gown
• White collar that accompanies cap/gown
• Dress, skirt, slacks, pant suit, business-style blouse
• Dress shoes
• No jeans or tennis shoes

Men

• Cap
• Gown
• White button-down shirt with a collar
• Black or navy slacks
• Dark dress shoes
• Tie is recommended
• A sports coat is allowed but not required
• No jeans, sandals or tennis shoes

This information is for the 2023-2024 school year.

Cap placement

• Caps are to be worn with the tassel on the right at the beginning of the ceremony.

Cap decoration guidelines

• Graduates can decorate their caps, but there are specific rules to follow:
• Objects cannot hang from the cap.
• Items cannot extend above the hat more than one-fourth inch.
• Profanity or inappropriate content is not permitted.
• The underside of the cap cannot be decorated.
• Lights or confetti cannot be used.

Violation consequences

• If a graduate violates any of the guidelines mentioned above, they will not be allowed to wear the decorated cap during the ceremony. Instead, the graduate will receive an alternate cap to wear.

Additional notes

• Graduates can wear a heritage stole.
• No draping flags are allowed to be worn over gowns.
• Graduation regalia (cords, medals, and stoles) worn by graduates must only represent curricular national honor societies; regalia for non-curricular activities is not approved.

Approved accessories

• Ann Brannon medal
• Associate degree or dual credit (30 hours of college credit but not earning degree) cord
• Blood donation cord (two donations during 12th grade)
• BSA cord
• CCMR point cord
• CTE four-year completer plus IBC cord
• Cum Laude
• Gold Seal honor cord
• HOSA cord (state and national placement only)
• Magna Cum Laude
• Military stole
• National Honor Society stole
• Salutatorian medal
• Spanish Honor Society cord
• Summa Cum Laude
• Superintendent Scholar stole
• TABS/TCC stole
• TCC Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society cord
• Top 10 percent stole
• United Voices 4 Change cord
• Valedictorian medal
• Volunteer cord
• Youth and Government cord

 

This information is for the 2023-2024 school year.

Arrival

• Graduates should arrive 30 - 45 minutes prior to the commencement ceremony.
• Graduates should enter at Gate 1.
• Guests enter at Gates 1, 2, 3.
• There is no limit to the number of guests per graduate.
• Parking is free for all FWISD graduations.
• Doors will open one hour before the graduation.
• Only clear bags/purses are allowed at the Wilkerson-Greines ceremonies.
• No outside food or balloons are allowed. Helium balloons, air horns, cowbells or any items that make loud noises are not allowed inside.

 

Expectations for graduates

• Attire check
  • Graduates' attire will be checked before reporting to their assigned seats.
  • Caps and regalia that do not conform to district guidelines will be removed and returned to the graduate after the ceremony.
• Personal items
  • Purses and personal bags will not be allowed during the ceremony.
• Processional etiquette
  • Following the processional, graduates should remain standing for the national anthem.
  • Graduates are to rise and be seated simultaneously as directed by the graduation sponsor.
• Diploma collection
  • After receiving the diploma, graduates must return to their designated row/seat and remain standing until the entire row has returned.
• Tassel movement
  • The class president will move the tassel to the left side using their right hand.
  • Graduates will follow in unison and remain standing.
• Additional guidelines
  • No photographs are allowed on the ceremony floor.
  • A copy of the program will be placed in each graduate's chair.
  • No corsages or gum are permitted during the graduation ceremony.
  • Family members and guests are asked to remain for the entire ceremony.
  • Graduates must adhere to the graduation ceremony expectations. Disruptive behavior may result in removal from the program, which could possibly involve police
    intervention.
  • Visitors are reminded that only clear bags/purses will be admitted into the ceremony venue.