With another academic year coming to a close, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools district is sharing details with families about its upcoming high school graduations.
Chapel Hill High School, Carrboro High School, East Chapel Hill High School, Phoenix Academy High School and the district’s Virtual Learning Academy will all celebrate their graduating students with ceremonies across Friday, June 14 and Saturday, June 15.
Details about this weekend’s graduation ceremonies can be found by going to the CHCCS website and its 2024 graduation webpage — but here are highlights from what you need to know before the events:
Start Times and Locations
While the Orange County Schools’ graduations were not able to be held in the Dean E. Smith Center this spring, the facility’s schedule did work for CHCCS high schools’ plans. The three biggest high schools will return to the basketball arena off Skipper Bowles Drive, while the district’s non-traditional schools will have a separate ceremony.
Phoenix Academy High School and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ Virtual Learning Academy will hold a joint graduation on Friday, June 14. The ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. and will be held at Phoenix Academy High School at 750 South Merritt Mill Road.
Meanwhile, Saturday, June 15 is set for graduates of Chapel Hill, East Chapel Hill, and Carrboro high schools to be honored. Chapel Hill High School will begin the proceedings with its ceremony at 9 a.m., followed by Carrboro High School’s graduation at 12:30 p.m. and East Chapel Hill High School’s at 4 p.m.
Entry to Ceremonies
CHCCS’ graduation ceremonies are not ticketed events, but there are rules to follow for entering the Dean Smith Center and school grounds.
The district said all high school graduates participating in Saturday’s ceremonies will go through a brief security screening. CHCCS recommends the graduates leave gowns unzipped and opened as they center the Smith Center to make the security check as quick as possible.
Meanwhile for attendees, a bag check will take place upon entry to the arena. While the facility will not be enforcing its typical clear bag policy, CHCCS recommends visitors use them in order to expedite each security check.
Prohibited items at the Dean Smith Center include firearms and alcoholic beverages, as well as items occasionally associated with graduation ceremonies. Noisemakers, confetti, balloons and wrapped gifts will not be permitted inside. Appropriate signs, bouquets of flowers, and cameras will be allowed, according to the school district. Unopened food and drinks will be permitted, since the Smith Center will not be operating concessions for any of the ceremonies.
Parking
Parking on UNC’s campus in the lots around the Dean Smith Center and off Skipper Bowles Drive will be free to visitors for the graduation ceremonies on Saturday. The Bowles Lot, Manning Lot and Craige Deck will be reserved for the event, and accessibility parking with shuttle service will be at the Williamson Lot across the street from the arena. The Craige Deck must be accessed via the Blythe Drive side entrance on Saturday, according to the school district.
The CHCCS administration warned that traffic is expected to be heavy across the three ceremonies. Attendees are encouraged to plan for travel delays and to arrive early for each event.
Livestreams
Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools will be livestreaming each of its high schools’ graduation ceremonies on the district’s YouTube channel. Each program will be posted separately to the YouTube channel for people to watch later as well.
Featured photo via Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.
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