The end of the academic year is here, capped off by the high school graduations for Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Schools.
The districts are preparing to hold their commencements this weekend — Friday, June 13 and Saturday, June 14 — and have shared instructions for participants and visitors alike to keep in mind when coming to the ceremonies.
Here are highlights from what you need to know before the events, with additional details on CHCCS’ graduation webpage and Orange County Schools’ graduation webpage.
Start Times and Locations
The Orange County Schools district is returning to the Dean E. Smith Center (300 Skipper Bowles Drive, Chapel Hill) on UNC’s campus for its graduation ceremonies after holding them outside at their respective campuses last summer. While the site causes more travel for some of the districts’ students and families, the school system said the indoor venue’s protection from the weather, pricing, and vast amount of seating made it the location for “the best possible experience for our ceremonies.”
The OCS ceremonies will take place first on Friday, with Orange High School’s graduation at 3 p.m. and Cedar Ridge High School’s graduation at 7 p.m.
CHCCS’ Phoenix Academy High School will also hold its graduation on Friday — just not at the Smith Center like the rest of the districts’ ceremonies. Phoenix Academy will celebrate its graduating students at 6 p.m. at East Chapel Hill School, located at 500 Weaver Dairy Road.
On Saturday, CHCCS’ traditional trio of high schools will hold their graduations at the Dean Dome. East Chapel Hill High School will start things off at 9 a.m., with Chapel Hill High School following at 12:30 p.m. and Carrboro High School closing the day’s events at 4 p.m.
Entry to Ceremonies
In its guidance to families and students, CHCCS said all high school graduates participating in this weekend’s ceremonies will go through a brief security screening. The district recommends graduates leave gowns unzipped and opened as they center the Smith Center to make the security check as quick as possible. Additionally, school and district staff are encouraged to have their CHCCS IDs ready so security can identify and verify employees before providing access to restricted areas.
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.
The Dean Smith Center prohibits several items, including firearms, alcoholic beverages and several items sometimes associated with graduation ceremonies. Noisemakers, confetti, balloons and wrapped gifts will not be permitted inside. For CHCCS, though, appropriate signs, bouquets of flowers, and cameras will be allowed in. For the first time, the Smith Center will be operating concessions for the ceremonies, but unopened food and drinks will be permitted.
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 Friday and 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, according to CHCCS.
With five ceremonies at the Smith Center across the weekend, visitors should expect traffic to be heavy before, during and after the graduations. Attendees are encouraged to plan for travel delays and to arrive early for each ceremony.
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.
Orange County Schools, meanwhile, will not be doing a livestream of either graduation ceremony this year.
Featured photo via Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools.
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