Class of 2023 

Wayne Prep Academy High School Graduation Handbook

SAVE THE DATES - CLASS OF 2023

Cap and Gown Ordering and Delivery - April 6, 2023 

Seniors who still have not ordered their cap and gown may pick up an order form from Mrs. Sasser in guidance or call the Herf Jones office directly @ 919-581-0355. Seniors may not participate in the graduation ceremony without the WPAHS cap and gown graduation ensemble.

• ALL Seniors who participate in the graduation ceremony must have the cap and gown purchased from Herff Jones.
• The cost of the cap and gown is now (and will remain) $120.

Cap and Gown Pictures - April 26, 2023

Strawbridge Studios will be here on Wednesday, April 26, 2023 to take graduation cap and gown pictures. This is an early dismissal day, so our schedule will be altered.

• INDIVIDUAL cap and gown pictures are optional. We will distribute order forms at the beginning of April for those who want to take and order cap and gown pictures on April 26. Students will bring their own cap and gown to this photo session. If one is needed, please let the photographer know.
• Pictures will be taken at the HS gym by appointment only. More information will come out in early April. We will have a sign-up sheet in the office a week or two before picture day to choose individual appointment times. There is no make-up date scheduled.
• You must pay for your pictures online or by using the Strawbridge order form on picture day. WPA will not collect any payment for these photos. All ordering and payment must be done through Strawbridge Studios.
• The GROUP cap and gown photo will also be taken on April 26. We are calling this photo “mandatory” because we want the entire senior class in the picture. This photo will be taken at 12:30 pm at the high school. For the group photo, students will need to wear their cap and gown ensemble, so be sure to have it out of the bag and hanging up for at least a week before this date (April 26) to straighten out wrinkles. The group photo should be available for purchase. More information will be forthcoming.
• Strawbridge Studios can be reached at 1-800-326-9080, or at www.strawbridge.net.  Our representative is Britny Warren.

Senior Picnic - April 26, 2023

The senior picnic is scheduled for Wednesday, April 26 at 1:00 pm and will be held on the WPAHS campus. All seniors are invited and encouraged to attend. All food, drink, and activities will be provided. If any parents are interested in donating items for the picnic, we will gladly accept. More information will go out before spring break on the picnic and how parents can get involved if they want to help with donations. The picnic is not open to outside guests, lower classmen, or family members (including WPA siblings); the event is for our seniors and staff members only. In the event of inclement weather, a rain date will be determined.

Senior Fee - Deadline April 29, 2023

As is, and has always been, a senior fee is collected each spring from each graduating senior for several purposes:

• to help defray the cost of diplomas, diploma covers, graduation incidentals, and program printing fees;
• to help defray the cost of senior activities;
• to cover the cost of the senior gift left to the school, which is traditionally something to beautify the campus and also to commemorate each graduating class and their time at WPA.

The senior fee for this year is $25 per graduate.  The fee must be paid by Friday, April 29, 2023.  Payments are accepted daily at the school from 7:15 am to 3:15 pm and can be made by check, cash, credit card, or CashApp.

*Please note: students must pay the graduation fee in order to attend the prom. If a student opts to not attend the prom, the fee must be paid before the student can attend graduation practice on June 9. Students who do not attend graduation practice, will not be permitted to participate in the graduation ceremony.

Junior/Senior Prom - May 6, 2023

This year’s senior prom is being held on May 6, 2023 from 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm at Lane Tree Country Club. Only current WPAHS juniors and seniors may purchase tickets, which will be sold at WPAHS during the following dates (note: ticket price increases each subsequent week):

• March 13-24 - ticket price $40 per person
• March 27 April -6 - ticket price $50
• No tickets will be sold at the door
• Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable

WPAHS students are permitted to bring a guest pending the pre-approval process. More detailed  information will be sent out as the event gets closer.

Athletic Awards - May 11, 2023

Athletic Awards for the spring will be held on May 11, 2023. More information will be forthcoming from Coach Moore, as well as individual team coaches.

Senior Walk - May 12, 2023

With this being our first graduating class, we are starting the tradition of a senior class walk through the elementary and middle schools. This year’s walk will take place  on Friday, May 12, 2023. Students who wish to participate will wear their cap and gown ensemble  and assemble in the high school gym by 1:10 pm. Once lined up, we will leave the high school at 1:25 and seniors will be escorted as a class over to the lower schools (where it all began for many of them) to server as positive role models and examples to the younger scholars of how ‘cool’ it is to work hard and be high school graduates!  We will walk first to the elementary school, next to the middle school, and then back to the high school.This is a student event only. We cannot open the lower schools to parent participation, but parents are welcome to view from the parking area as the students walk to each school and take pictures and/or video.  

Academic Awards Night - May 16, 2023

Academic awards night will be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2023 at 6:00 pm. This will be an evening awards ceremony where we will recognize seniors for their academic accomplishments and distinctions. We will also recognize the junior marshalls at this ceremony. All award recipients will be given an invitation, but the ceremony is open to anyone who wants to attend: WPA students, friends, family members. Please note: not all students will be receiving awards at this event, but all are welcome!  The ceremony location will be decided at a later date, but it will be on the WPA campus. Questions regarding the Academic Awards Ceremony should be directed to Mrs. Sandy Sasser by calling the high school, or via email at ssasser@wpanc.org. The following are some (but not all) of the recognitions that will be included:

• Latin Distinctions (cum laude, summa cum laude, magna cum laude)
• North Carolina Scholars
• Honor Graduates
• Principal’s Award
• Perfect Attendance
• Beta Club Cords
• SGA Cords and Awards
• FFA Cords and Awards
• Project Lead the Way Cords and Awards
• Department Awards and Scholarships
• Community and Organization Awards
• Junior Marshall Recognition  

Mandatory Graduation Practice  - June 9, 2023
WHEN: Friday, June 9th, 8:30 am - until finished (approximately 12:00 pm)
WHERE: Wayne Community College, Moffatt Auditorium

Graduation practice is MANDATORY for all seniors who are participating in the graduation ceremony on June 10th. Seniors should report by 8:30 am so that attendance can be taken, instructions can be given, and any outstanding fees can be collected before practice begins. Please note the following important items:

• Please be on time. If people show up late, it pushes back the whole practice for everyone and we will all be there later.
• Students are not permitted to leave practice early. Everyone must stay until the practice is finished. Please plan work and appointment schedules around practice time.
• There is no need to bring your cap and gown to practice. You do not need to be in dress code for practice, but use good judgment. No inappropriate clothing permitted. You are representing the school and yourself, and we are guests as the college.
• Please eat and drink before you come. There is no food (including gum) allowed in the auditorium, per Wayne Community College policy. You may keep a snack and drink in a bag, but your bag will be in the student lounge and you will not have access to it in the auditorium during practice.
• There is no cell phone use and no videoing during practice! Phones will be required to be turned off and put away. This is not negotiable. Phones will be confiscated for the duration of the practice if they are seen out or being used.
• No outside people are allowed at practice; parents, friends, siblings may not attend. If someone is bringing you, have them drop you off at the front of the building and pick you up in the same place.
• The senior fee must be paid in order to participate in practice and the ceremony. Any students who have not paid this fee will be directed to a table set up in the college atrium at graduation practice to clear the debt before they will be permitted to enter and participate in practice. Remember, no practice - no ceremony.
• All seniors must meet graduation requirements to participate in practice and the ceremony.

**Tickets for the graduation ceremony will be distributed to seniors at the end of practice.

Graduation Ceremony  - June 10, 2023
WHEN: Saturday, June 10th, at 1:00 pm    
WHERE:  Wayne Community College, Moffatt Auditorium  

SENIORS MUST ARRIVE DRESSED BY 12 noon with gowns unzipped and regular clothes fully visible. Please report directly to the student lounge to the left of the auditorium NO LATER THAN 12:00 pm.

Dress Code for Graduation/Cap and Gowns:

• Gentlemen should wear a white-collared shirt, solid-colored tie, solid-colored socks, dress shoes, and formal or semi-formal pants (khaki or dark colors).  No graphic or tee-shirts may be worn under the gown. Appropriate dress shoes should be worn. No flip flops, slides, crocs, sneakers, boots, or Hey Dudes.
• Ladies should wear dresses, skirts, or dress pants and tops with dress shoes.  No crop-top type shirts exposing the midriff, spaghetti-strap, or sleeveless dresses or tops should be worn. No flip flops, slides, crocs, sneakers, boots, or Hey Dudes. Wear comfortable shoes that you can go up and down steps in.

Try on your cap and gown BEFORE the day of the ceremony, to ensure that it fits properly. If there are any issues, contact Herf Jones office directly @ 919-581-0355 (our rep is  Jay Kornegay). Do not wait until the day of graduation to check your cap and gown!

Hang up your gown at least a week before the ceremony so that the wrinkles will fall out.  Do not attempt to iron, you will destroy the material!

Getting Dressed:

•   Caps are worn with the deepest part of the crown at the back

• Your tassel should be on the right side.  
• Caps should be placed flat on the head, not at an angle.            
• Caps are not to be decorated in any fashion.

• NO additional pins, stoles, dangling jewelry hanging outside of the gown, or other adornments should be worn unless provided by the school.
• NO corsages, bouquets, or single flowers are allowed to be carried and NO BALLOONS OR NOISEMAKERS in the auditorium!
• The graduation gown goes on over your clothing,

• then the Latin Honor Stole (if applicable) - students graduating with Latin Honors will be provided an honor stole to wear during the graduation ceremony. Qualifying seniors will receive these at the Senior Awards Ceremony on May 16, and they may be kept.
• then the WPAHS collar
• then the honor cords (if applicable) -  NC Scholar/Honor Grad/Beta Club cords will be provided by WPA to wear during the graduation ceremony. Qualifying seniors will receive cords at the senior awards ceremony on May 16, and may keep these as well.

*Note: only cords for NC Scholars, Honor Graduates,  and Beta Club are permitted to be worn to the graduation ceremony.

The auditorium will open for guests to begin seating at 12:00 noon. Guests are not permitted to enter the venue early and reserve seats prior to this time, as the auditorium will be locked.

The auditorium doors will close promptly at 1 pm.  Anyone who arrives after 1:00 pm will have to view the ceremony from the overflow rooms, if seats are available. No exceptions will be made. There is no admittance to the auditorium once the graduates have entered, which marks the beginning of the ceremony. 

Standing in aisles, in the back of the auditorium, or on the sides of the rows is not permitted, per Wayne Community College policy and the Fire Marshall. If you must step out or deal with a restless child, you will need to move to the lobby area.

All children under the age of 12 MUST be accompanied by an adult at all times  in both the auditorium and overflow areas.

Lapped infants, toddlers, and children will need a ticket. This is non-negotiable due to maximum capacity regulations set by the college. Every guest entering the auditorium will need a ticket to enter, regardless of age. Please understand, capacity is based on bodies, not seats. WPA has no authority to overrule the college policy on maximum capacity.

As each graduate’s name is called, we ask parents/guests to lighty applaud. Please remember, this is a distinguished ceremony, not a pep rally. We understand your family is proud and excited, but we want each family to see their student and hear their student’s name being called, so please avoid excessively loud and disruptive behavior that could negatively affect others . Balloons, posters, and any other objects that may block the view of the stage are not permitted to be brought into the auditorium, and we will not have a place to hold these items for guests or graduates.

Ticket Information:  

• This year’s graduation is a 100% ticketed event. No guests of any age will be permitted to enter any of the viewing areas without a ticket.
• Tickets will be distributed to each graduate at the end of graduation practice on June 9. No tickets will be issued before this date.
• Each graduate will receive FIVE colored and numbered tickets to be used in the main auditorium, and TWO colored and numbered tickets for the overflow rooms. These tickets are non-transferable or exchangeable and are only good for the rooms indicated on the ticket.
• Capacity is set by the college and the fire marshall. WPA staff cannot override this threshold, nor guarantee seat locations, nor reserve seats for any individual in either the auditorium or overflow rooms.  
• Seats are on a first-come-first-served basis. We cannot guarantee groups of seats for all of the members of your party, so please arrive early (beginning at 12:00 noon) for the best chance at securing a specific location or number of consecutive seats.
• Tickets will be numbered. Once a ticket is checked in at the ticket table, that ticket is marked as “used.” Duplicate tickets will not be accepted.
• We are not offering extra tickets. Students are free to ask around amongst their classmates for extra tickets, but staff  members will not be able to accommodate extra ticket requests and we ask that you do not call or email the school for extra tickets.

Speeches:

The process for selecting student speeches for the graduation ceremony will be open to all members of the class of 2023. In late April, all candidates for graduation will have the opportunity to vie for a speaking role in the ceremony by submitting a written speech to a preselected committee of WPA staff members. The committee will select the top 2 or 3 speeches from those submitted and invite those students to present during the ceremony. There will be some guidelines for students to follow, as well as an opportunity to work with a staff member to make necessary edits and revisions, if necessary, and ample opportunity to practice in preparation for delivery on graduation day.

There will be other students who are selected for speaking parts or roles based on their school affiliations (i.e. SGA, class officers, ranking, etc..) and/or talents/interests (i.e. singing, benediction, presentation of the colors, etc…).

Diplomas:

Official diplomas are given out after the graduation ceremony. The item handed to  graduates on stage during the ceremony is only the hardback diploma cover. After the ceremony, students will be able to pick up their actual diploma certificates at a table set up in the atrium of Moffatt Auditorium; this is the final diploma.

Important note: The commencement program and diploma are ceremonial documents and are not intended to be the official verification of graduation. The appropriately signed and verified high school transcript is the certification of a Wayne Preparatory Academy High School graduate.

Transcripts: 

Official graduate transcripts will be issued along with the final diploma at the pickup table following the ceremony. This is the only transcript graduates will receive from the school free of charge. If additional transcripts are needed at any time, students may email Mrs. Sandy Sasser at the high school (ssasser@wpanc.org). The cost of additional official transcripts from WPAHS is $2 per copy.

Handshake Photos:

Strawbridge Studios will be at graduation to take handshake photos for each senior as they cross the stage and receive their diploma. We will distribute a flyer at the diploma table in the WCC atrium after the ceremony that will contain Strawbridge’s website and a QR code so parents can find their graduate’s photo(s). Photos will be uploaded and available on the site for purchase within 48 hours after graduation. All orders and payments are handled through Strawbridge Studios; WPAHS is not responsible for orders, payment, or problems with orders or photos.

Handicapped seating: 

If any guests are in need of special accommodations for auditorium seating, those requests may be made via email to Ms. Weber (bweber@wpanc.org) or Ms. Skinner (lskinner@wpanc.org) no later than May 15, 2023. There are marked handicapped  spaces in the college parking lot, but they will be on a first-come-first-served basis.

Refreshments: 

Immediately following the ceremony, WPAHS staff will host a small reception in the college atrium. We invite all graduates and their families/guests to join us in celebration of our new (and first ever) high school graduates! Parents are free to take personal photos around the campus, but the auditorium will be closed immediately after the ceremony.

Nonnegotiables:

• Seniors may not participate in the graduation ceremony without the 2023 school-selected WPAHS cap and gown graduation ensemble.
• Graduation practice (June 9th @ 8:30 am) is MANDATORY for all seniors who are participating in the graduation ceremony on June 10th.
• Graduates must  be on time for practice and stay until it is finished.
• All senior fees/debts must be paid in order to participate in practice and the ceremony, including instructional fees and the senior fee. Remember, no practice - no ceremony.
• All seniors must meet graduation requirements to participate in practice and the ceremony.
• Students who show up out of dress code  for the ceremony will be asked to change clothes in order to participate.
• Each graduate will receive FIVE tickets for the main auditorium and TWO tickets for the two overflow rooms. There is no entrance into the auditorium or overflow rooms without a ticket for any reason.
• Tickets will be given out to the graduates at the end of  graduation practice on June 9. No tickets will be given out prior to this date and time.
•  The auditorium doors will close promptly at 1:00 pm.  There is no admittance to the auditorium after 1:00 pm. Overflow rooms will stay open, but tickets are still required to enter. No exceptions can be made.
• Every guest entering the auditorium will need a ticket to enter, regardless of age. Please understand, capacity is based on bodies, not seats. WPA has no authority to overrule the college or the fire marshall’s policies on maximum capacity. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult guest.
• The auditorium will open for guests to begin seating at 12:00 noon. Guests are not permitted to enter the venue earlier than this time (it will remain locked) to reserve seats.
• Campus police will be on duty for our event. If there is an emergency, or if any issues arise regarding compliance to WPAHS graduation ceremony guidelines, this will be the assisting agency.
• Please keep the ceremony dignified. We are ALL very excited for our graduates, but it is a CEREMONY, so please let’s keep the integrity of the occasion intact for all of our students and the hard work they have put into reaching this milestone.

Staying Connected to Graduation Updates and Information:

1. Senior meetings:

• March 6 @ 9:40 am - student meeting
• March 6 @ 6 pm -parent meeting for senior trip
• March 6 @ 6:30 - parent meeting for graduation
• students may attend either graduation meeting March 6.

        *Additional Meetings will be scheduled if needed

2. WPA Website: https://wpanc.net/
    “High School” Tab > “Graduation” Tab (this will be available by 3/10/23)
   
3. Class of 2023 Remind:  please join if you haven’t already
   Send a text to 81010 (in the number line)
   Type @gseniors23 (in the message line)
   
4. Parent Group Email List:  sign up at parent meeting March 6, or email bweber@wpanc.org to be added to the parent group email list.
   
5. WPAHS Facebook Page - updates are continuously added; please follow our HIGH SCHOOL Facebook page.
   
6. Questions:

• concerning graduation and/or graduation events/activities > Barb Weber at  bweber@wpanc.org or Anthony Wright at awright@wpanc.org
• concerning senior trip > Sam Fisher at sfisher@wpanc.org
• concerning prom > Barb Weber at bweber@wpanc.org
• concerning senior awards, transcripts, GPA, credits, diplomas, class rank, college info, financial aid > Sandy Sasser at ssasser@wpanc.org
• concerning Herff Jones cap and gown orders, class rings, graduation supplies > Jay Kornegay at 919-581-0355
• concerning cap and gown photos, class group photo, graduation handshake photos > Britny Warren at 1-800-326-9080, or at www.strawbridge.net.  
  

7. Please be aware that changes may need to be made throughout this process, but will always be shared via REMIND and/or Facebook and/or the graduation tab on the WPA website and/or by email notification.