Commencement Information Class of 2020

Pope Information Guide 2021

POPE HIGH SCHOOL

Class of 2021

Commencement Information and Schedule of Activities

 Wednesday, May 26, 2021, 7:00 PM

Walter H. Cantrell Stadium 

McEachern High School

It is important that you and your family review the following information carefully. 

LOCATION OF VENUE AND DIRECTIONS

Cantrell Stadium is located on the campus of McEachern High School at 2400 New Macland Road, Powder Springs, GA 30127. From Macland Road turn south onto New Macland. From Richard D. Sailors Parkway turn north onto New Macland. Additional approach information and alternate routes are available on the district website (www.cobbk12.org/graduation).

PUBLIC HEALTH MEASURES

The Cobb County School District (CCSD) considers the health, safety, and overall well-being of students, teachers, staff, and guests to be of paramount importance. While COVID-19 continues to impact our communities, measures must be taken to implement required public health guidance. The District will adhere to guidance from local, state, and federal authorities and follow the guidance of the Cobb and Douglas Public Health Department.

All graduates and guests must comply with the necessary public health measures required at the time of the ceremony. Specific measures will be outlined on the district graduation web page (www.cobbk12.org/graduation) no later than the week prior to commencements using guidance available at that time. 

SENIOR CLEARANCE 

• All fees for lost or damaged textbooks, media materials, parking, classroom instructional equipment, uniforms, or any other materials owed to the school must be cleared by Friday, May 21, 2020. 
• Students with outstanding fees will be prohibited from participating in the commencement ceremony. 

FINAL EXAMS 

• Monday, May 17, 2021 – 6^th and 7^th exams.  
• Tuesday, May 18, 2021 – 4^th and 5^th exams. 
• Thursday, May 20, 2021 – 2^nd and 3^rd exams.
• Friday, May 21, 2021 – 1^st exam.

COMMENCEMENT TICKETS/HONOR CORD DISTRIBUTION

• Club sponsors will give cords/stoles directly to students. Cords for honor graduates (students with a non-rounded 3.500 GPA or higher) and commencement tickets will be provided to all graduates on Tuesday, May 25, 2021, outside PPO.  Please report at the appropriate time. 
  1. Last Name      A-E      9-10 AM
  2. Last Name      F-K       10-11 AM
  3. Last Name      L-R       12-1 PM
  4. Last Name      S-Z       1-2 PM
• Graduates in the Class of 2021 will each receive six (6) guest tickets for family to attend commencement after adjustments were made to the seating configuration at Cantrell Stadium. Public health guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing, face masks, and symptom screening will be implemented.

COMMENCEMENT VIRTUAL REHEARSAL

• Monday, May 24, 2021, at 1:00 PM in Teams 
• The meeting will open at 12:45 PM, and you must use your first and last name when signing in.
• The link will be emailed to your Office 365 account.

COMMENCEMENT DAY

• Wednesday, May 26, 2021, 7:00 PM, at Cantrell Stadium - McEachern High School 
• Students need to arrive at McEachern and report to the HPEW Gym by 5:45 PM.
• Guests will enter Cantrell Stadium through the north gate and west gate.
• Doors will open at 6:00 PM for all guests. Individuals requiring a wheelchair must provide their own. 
• Parking: 
  1. Graduates are to park in the Taylor Farm parking lot (labeled GP on the campus map) using the entrance on Brand Road. Graduates should be encouraged to bring/wear comfortable shoes for walking from the Taylor Farm parking lot to the Health, Physical Education, and Wellness Gym (HPEW) and Cantrell Stadium.
  2. Guests will park in any available lot (#1, #2, and #3 on the map) using entrances on New Macland Road and Gaydon Road. Overflow parking will be available off-site. Directions will be available on the district website (www.cobbk12.org/graduation).
  3. Guests with disabilities and elderly guests needing individualized assistance should enter the campus of McEachern High School at either the north entrance on New MacLand Road or the northwest entrance on Gaydon Road. Accessible parking (labeled as ADA on the map) will be available in front of the Performing Arts Center (labeled as PAC on the campus map). Officers will direct guests to parking.
• Audience members will exit Cantrell Stadium via the gates at the north and west sides of the stadium. Graduates and audience members will be directed to return to their vehicles to exit the campus following the ceremonies. 

COMMENCEMENT ATTIRE 

Dress for graduates will be as follows. 

• Gentlemen 
  1. Collared shirt, dark dress slacks, dress shoes, and socks.  Ties are not required.
• Ladies 
  1. Dark dress slacks, a dress, or skirt and blouse.  
  2. Flat shoes are recommended due to the distance graduates will be walking. 
  3. NO FLIP FLOPS are allowed.
• Caps should be worn flat on top of the head and not at an angle. Tassels should be on the right side of the cap. 

DIPLOMA DISTRIBUTION

• ·        Thursday, May 27, 2021, from 9-11 AM at PPO. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

• Participation in commencement is a privilege. 
• Please remember that all graduation requirements must be met to participate in commencement exercises. 
• All guests attending commencement, including babies and small children, will need a ticket to enter the venue. 
• The ceremony will be video recorded, and a DVD will be offered for sale by the school district. Commencement, video, and broadcast information can be found on the district website at http://www.cobbk12.org/graduation/. 
• Lifetouch will take photos as each graduate and will make these available for purchase. Guests are welcome to use cameras for still and video photography from their seats.  Guests may not be in the aisles or along the railings to film or take photographs. 
• Balloons, posters, selfie sticks, and camera tripods and monopods are not permitted in Cantrell Stadium.  In addition, any object which obscures the view of others or impacts the safety of others is not allowed in the venue. 
• Behavior at the ceremony and practices must be exemplary. Throwing caps is inappropriate, dangerous, and not permitted. Please understand that disruption and misconduct in any form will not be tolerated. Any senior(s) causing a disturbance or in any way conducting themselves inappropriately during the ceremony will be removed. In addition, restitution for any damage to the venue or district property will be the responsibility of the graduate or guest who causes said damage. 

COMMENCEMENT TIMELINE

May 10-14, 2021 .................................Senior Clearance

Monday, May 17, 2021........................6^th and 7^th Exams 

Tuesday, May 18, 2021........................4^th and 5^th Exams 

Thursday, May 20, 2021.......................2^nd and 3^rd Exams

Friday, May 21, 2021............................1^st Exam

Tuesday, May 25, 2021.........................Ticket/Honor Cord Distribution 

• Last Name      A-E      9-10 AM
• Last Name      F-K       10-11 AM
• Last Name      L-R       12-1 PM
• Last Name      S-Z       1-2 PM

Wednesday, May 26, 2021…………………Commencement at 7:00 PM - Students must be in the HPEW by 5:45 PM