Senior FAQs

Our seniors have worked hard, and they deserve to be celebrated. We wish we could give them a traditional graduation ceremony but that is not possible due to the pandemic. Instead, seniors and families will be scheduled to rotate through a drive-through graduation ceremony.  

Wearing their cap and gown, each student will receive their diploma cover, get a professional photo taken, and be cheered on by teachers and staff with appropriate social distancing. Students will also receive senior awards, yearbook, graduation programs and Class of 2020 memorabilia.

Seniors and families will be scheduled to rotate through a drive-through graduation ceremony with staggered arrival times. You are welcome to decorate your vehicle. Security will be present to ensure cars move through the route. Here is the process:

• Students and families enter the parking lot, one car per family, while Pomp & Circumstance plays. Everyone is to remain in their cars.
• At Tent #1, runners will collect student names on index cards and give grads packets containing any awards, honor cords and Class of 2020 t-shirts.
• At Tent #2, grads will be directed to exit their vehicle and pick up their diploma cover from a table. A school administrator will be there to congratulate the grad at an appropriate distance.
• Grads will walk to Tent #3, where they will have a professional portrait taken. Grads must stay on the marks as they move between tents.
• Grads will walk to Tent #4, where they will be congratulated by the superintendent and a school board member, then be directed to return to their cars

• Cars will proceed to the exit corridor, where they will be cheered by teachers and staff.

The drive-through ceremonies are taking place in school parking lots. Find your school’s date and time by clicking on the links below. 

Big Picture High School

Choice Academy

Community Based Services (CBS)

Evergreen High School

Highline High School

Mount Rainier High School

New Start High School

Puget Sound High School/WELS

Raisbeck Aviation High School

Realistic Transition Program (RTP)

Tyee High School

Yes, we are offering free transportation to students and families who need it. Students were asked to complete a Transportation Request Form by June 3 to request transportation. The Transportation Department will be in contact with students who completed the form to schedule transportation for the ceremonies.  

If your vehicle can hold five people, then the graduate plus four additional people can participate. The graduate should sit in the front passenger seat with a family member driving. Following public health guidelines, individuals who are in a high-risk group or who are sick should stay home.

Only one vehicle per graduate is allowed. Exceptions may be made. Those who completed the Two Vehicle Request Form by Friday, June 5 will be notified by email if their request was approved. 

It is extremely important that everyone follows social distancing guidelines for the safety of students, families and staff. If participants do not follow the guidelines, remaining graduation ceremonies for other schools could be canceled. 

• Each graduate will be assigned an arrival time. 
• Graduates should arrive in a vehicle with only their family members. Following public health guidelines, individuals who are in a high-risk group or who are sick should stay home. 
• Students are asked to sit in the front passenger seat of their car. Students are not allowed to drive themselves. 
• Please come dressed in your cap and gown. 
• Please arrive on time at your scheduled time. Families must attend the graduation ceremony during their allocated hour. There will be no makeup hour for families who do now show up at their designated time. 
• Only one vehicle per graduate is allowed. Exceptions may be made. Please review the criteria and complete the Two Vehicles Request Form by Friday, June 5. Completing the request form is not a guarantee you will be allowed more than one vehicle.
• Students must stay in their vehicles until instructed to get out. Grads will pick up their diploma cover in Tent 2 and walk to Tent 3 for their photo. They must stand on the marks on the ground and maintain 6 feet distance from others at all times. 
• We ask that students come prepared with a face mask for when they step out of the car. Students will be allowed to remove their face masks when they have their professional photo taken.
• Families may not get out of the vehicle at any time. Families who wish to take pictures must do so from their vehicles.
• No cars will be allowed to stop and greet teachers or staff. You are welcome to wave from the car, but you must stay 6 feet away from teachers and staff lining the exit route. 
• To make sure all families can hear their student’s name announced, please do not bring noisemakers.
• If you need transportation to attend your drive-through ceremony, please complete the Transportation Request Form by June 3. 

Please come dressed in your cap and gown.

We ask that students come prepared with a face mask for when they step out of the car.

Each graduate will be assigned an arrival time. Please arrive on time at your scheduled time. Families must attend the graduation ceremony during their allocated hour. There will be no makeup hour for families who do now show up at their designated time. 

Graduates should arrive in a vehicle with only their family members. Following public health guidelines, individuals who are in a high-risk group or who are sick should stay home.

Students are asked to sit in the front passenger seat of their car. Students are not allowed to drive themselves.

Students must stay in their vehicles until instructed to get out. Grads will pick up their diploma cover in Tent 2 and walk to Tent 3 for their photo. They must stand on the marks on the ground and maintain 6 feet distance from others at all times. 

We ask that students come prepared with a face mask for when they step out of the car.

Families may not get out of the vehicle at any time. Families who wish to take pictures must do so from their vehicles. 

No cars will be allowed to stop and greet teachers or staff. You are welcome to wave from the car, but you must stay 6 feet away from teachers and staff lining the exit route.

If an organization has a staff member who works on a high school campus full time, they are welcome to join other school staff at the ceremony.

Since state and county public health authorities have prohibited large gatherings, we do not encourage community members to come to the graduation events. We encourage supporters to like, share and comment on photos of graduation ceremonies, which we will post on Highline’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.

At the time of the Thoughtexchange, we thought it would be possible to postpone commencement until August. Based on current public health guidance, large gatherings will be banned throughout the summer and into the fall. With no reliable option for a traditional ceremony and seniors clearly wanting some type of in-person event, this was our only alternative to a virtual ceremony.

One advantage of holding a June ceremony is that everyone in the class is able to participate. A number of seniors told us they would not be here for a postponed graduation due to college or military commitments.

If you need a digital device, please contact your teacher or school to schedule a time to pick one up.

If you need a hotspot, please contact your teacher or school to schedule a time to pick one up.

We are working to create options for students who need credit recovery, including online courses. Please reach out to your school counselor directly to learn more. Find contact information for counselors on each school’s website.

Students and parents can visit our college readiness web section to find contact information to your schools college and career access specialist and/or counselor. These staff members can help with financial aid and FAFSA/WASFA questions, award letter review, and scholarship essay review.

Students who registered for a Spring 2020 school- or community-based sport are eligible to receive a 0.5 Physical Education credit through a modified Directed Athletics online learning course. 

To be approved and participate in this course, a student must have already signed up for a WIAA sport when remote learning started on March 12, 2020.

Course Requirements:

• Complete all Directed Athletics coursework by Monday, June 1st, 2020.  Failure to turn in coursework on time may result in no credit.   

Course Information:

• Directed Athletics is a pass / no pass course.  Failure to complete this course will not affect student transcripts.
• Directed Athletics is a credit gained course and not intended for credit retrieval.
• Time to complete coursework may vary.  On average, coursework can be completed in 8-10 hours.  Plan accordingly to complete all work by June 1st.
• All coursework will be completed on CANVAS.
• Course facilitators are available for communication throughout the spring 2020 season by email and office hours.  

Course Approval - Getting Started:

• Contact your school’s Physical Education Department Lead (listed below) and request access to the Directed Athletics course.
• Students will receive notification through their schools Google email account.
• Students will need to log on to CANVAS and accept their course invitation.  Please refer to the Steps for Logging into CANVAS if necessary.
• Students can begin Modified Directed Athletics after accepting the course invite.

To enroll in Modified Directed Athletics for Spring 2020, contact your school’s Physical Education Department Lead.

• Evergreen High School: Erin Hochevar-Ortiz
• Highline High School: Mary Legate
• Mt. Rainier High School: Lance Hepworth
• Tyee High School: Courtney McCurry

For questions about Modified Directed Athletics in Spring 2020, contact your school’s Physical Education Department lead or Derek Severson, Instructional Specialist: K-12 Health and Physical Education.

Yes, state testing has been canceled due to the school closure. 

In Washington State there are many ways that you can meet the state testing requirements for graduation. Reach out to your school counselor to see what other options are available. Find contact information for counselors on each school’s website. 

AP tests will be taken remotely.  This information is being updated on the College Board website. Your teacher will be in touch with more information.

World Language Credit by Proficiency testing will now take place remotely for seniors only. Seniors who qualify will be contacted with more information. If you have questions about qualifying to test, please contact your school counselor.

Yes, please continue to take all online courses that you started before the school closure. This includes courses through Edgenuity.

We are working to ensure that all students enrolled in BtC classes will earn the credit they need to fulfill this pathway requirement.  Please check your email and be in touch with your teacher about what will be required.

Prom is an important celebration each spring. We are working on a plan to celebrate seniors and hope to have more information soon.

You have options, please reach out to your School Counselor or your College and Career Access Specialist to set up a time to talk. 

Student fines and fees can be paid online. During this unprecedented emergency, we understand it may be difficult for some seniors to pay a fine or fee before graduation. We are broadening policy regarding payment of fees to include fines. The policy now states:

“Arrangements shall be made for the waiver or reduction of fees [and fines] for students whose families, by reason of their low income status, would have difficulty paying the full fee [or fine]. Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch, or who have McKinney-Vento status or are in foster care shall be eligible for a waiver or reduction of fees [and fines].”

Please contact your school counselor or principal to request support.

For the spring 2020 season, 100% of the Pay to Participate fees for high school students are refundable and 50% (or $15) of participation fees for middle school students are refundable. To Receive a refund, please work with your school bookkeeper. We are working on identifying a day in June for seniors to visit school and receive a refund in person.

ASB fees are not refundable.