Bowie High School

Bowie High School 15200 Annapolis Road Bowie, Maryland 20715 Telephone: 301-805-2600 School website: http://www.pgcps.org/~bowie “Excellence From All, For All”

March 24, 2010

Dear Parents/Guardians of the Class of 2010:

It is with heartfelt joy, that we congratulate you on helping your child get to this point. In fact, I feel compunction about even calling these young people “children” as they are now on the cusp of adulthood. Graduation is hastily approaching, and it is our goal that every member of the phenomenal Class of 2010, walk proudly across the stage to receive the reward of their labor —a Prince George’s County Public School Diploma. To that end, we want you to be fully informed of the requirements your charge must meet in order to participate in graduation this year. We ask that you read this document carefully and access the following websites for additional updates.

GRADUATION rd  Graduation will take place at The Comcast Center, on June 3 . It begins promptly at 9:00 A.M. Graduating seniors will be expected to arrive to the Auxiliary Gymnasium (Gate D) between 7:30 AM and 7:45 AM. It is imperative that all graduating seniors arrive punctually. Please ensure that your child is at the Comcast Center between 7:30 AM and 7:45 AM. in proper attire, and displaying appropriate, orderly behavior, that is aligned with the Code of Student Conduct.

 Proper Attire: No jeans, tennis shoes or casual footwear (i.e. flip-flops, crocs or flat thong sandals) are permitted. Leave all bags with family members and/or in your cars. There will not be a holding area for your personal effects.

Young Ladies: Underneath their cap and ironed gown, young ladies should wear white or pastel dresses or full length slacks and dress shoes. Young ladies are encouraged to leave their purses and or bags with their families or in their cars.

Young Men: Underneath their cap and ironed gown, young men should wear full length dark dress slacks, collared, dress (Oxford styled) shirts with dark ties. They should also wear dark colored dress shoes, and dark socks

 In order to participate in the graduation rehearsal ceremony and graduation ceremony, students must meet all graduation requirements including: meeting all academic criteria, meeting the H.S.A. examination requirement, providing documentation of satisfying the requirements for Student Service Learning Hours, and satisfying all financial obligations. Bowie High School 15200 Annapolis Road Bowie, Maryland 20715 Telephone: 301-805-2600 School website: http://www.pgcps.org/~bowie “Excellence From All, For All”

 There will not be accommodations for student or visitor drop-offs in front of the Comcast Center. You will need to proceed to your assigned parking lot and return to the Comcast center. Please plan appropriately.

 Graduation Tickets ◦ Every senior will receive 10 tickets to graduation. Requests for up to ten additional tickets must be typed and submitted to Ms. Ryan (Main Office) on or before May 14, 2010, and will be reviewed on a first-come, first served basis. A request does not guarantee extra tickets. ◦ Tickets will be distributed after the Graduation Rehearsal on May 28th

 Disabled Guest Parking ◦ Guests requiring accommodations (wheelchairs access, etc.) should submit requests to Ms. Ryan in the main office by May 15th for special parking. Handicapped placards and license plates will be honored and you will be escorted to the appropriate parking locations by campus patrols.

 Reserved Seating/Wheel Chair/Disabled Guests ◦ Hearing Impaired- a designated seating area will be reserved for the hearing impaired. A certified interpreter will be provided ◦ A designated area is located on the upper concourse level for wheel chairs ◦ Wheel Chair guests may also use a ramp which leads to the lower level; however, the lower level does not provide a space to park wheel chairs. Guests will be escorted from their wheelchair to a seat.

 Parent/Guest/Student Parking will be available in lots 9B, 9C, 11B, 11C, 4A and 4I. Parking Signs and campus patrols will be available to provide assistance.

 Prohibited Items: Food or Drink, Balloons, Noise Making Devices (Air Horns, etc), and Vending of any kind will not be permitted in the Comcast center. Please leave these items at home or in your cars. You will not be permitted into the Comcast Center and asked to return to your car if you have these items with you.

 Guest Arrival: The main seating area will open at 8:00 AM. Doors will close 30 minutes after the graduation has begun. Guests are encouraged to arrive early.

FINAL SENIOR CLASS ASSEMBLY April 15, 2010

8:30 a.m.- 10:30 a.m. Bowie Center for the Performing Arts (BCPA) Bowie High School 15200 Annapolis Road Bowie, Maryland 20715 Telephone: 301-805-2600 School website: http://www.pgcps.org/~bowie “Excellence From All, For All”

SENIOR AWARDS ASSEMBLY

The Senior Awards Assembly will be held in the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts on May 13, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m.

LOCKER CLEAN OUT

th Locker clean-out will be held on May 13, 2010 during 4 period. Any unclaimed items may be discarded. Bowie High School assumes no liability for items left in lockers after the locker clean-out date.

SENIOR BOOKS All Senior Books are due by May 13, 2010.

Seniors will not receive diplomas until all books have been submitted to teachers and fines cleared. Please do not wait until the last minute or try to submit books to a secretary or other administrative staff. Please get pink slips from teachers when returning books and keep all pink slips in a safe place until graduation. Senior Pink Slips for lost books are due to Ms. Price by May 14th.

GRADUATION CRITERIA

th th  Final Exams will take place from May 10 -14 . All students are expected to th take all final exams. Make-up exams will be offered on May 14 . There will be no make-up exams after May 14, 2010. Students who fail to take exams before May 14, 2010 will receive “0”s.

Final Exam Schedule

1B/4B- 5/10 1A/4A- 5/11 Bowie High School 15200 Annapolis Road Bowie, Maryland 20715 Telephone: 301-805-2600 School website: http://www.pgcps.org/~bowie “Excellence From All, For All”

2B/3B- 5/12 2A/3A- 5/13

 Make-up work will only be accepted in the cases of documented approved absences. Make-up work will not be accepted by teachers, if students simply failed to complete assignments. Please do not request unapproved work. Your request will be denied.

 Caps and Gowns will be distributed at the conclusion of Graduation Rehearsal. All seniors intending to graduate must be financially cleared, and bring their clearance notice with them in order to participate in Graduation Rehearsal and the Graduation ceremony.

 In order to meet the criteria for graduation, a student must do the following by May 14, 2010: ◦ have met all academic requirements including accruing all required credits and satisfying the High School Assessment requirement, ◦ have completed the required number of Student Service Learning Hours, ◦ have satisfied all financial obligations (returned all books, materials, ROTC uniforms, etc., and paid all fines) Please see Mrs. Marceron and Mrs. Theresa Price. ◦ have completed the Senior Survey

 All academic-related appeals must be made to Mrs. Spence by Tuesday, May th th 25 , in order to be resolved by Wednesday, May 26 .

GRADUATION REHEARSAL

 Graduation Rehearsal will take place on May 28, 2010 at 8:00 a.m. in the Main Gym. Students must have satisfied all financial obligations in full in order to participate in the Graduation ceremony.

 All graduating seniors must participate in the full length of the Graduation th Rehearsal on May 28 at 8:00 a.m. in order to participate in Graduation on June 3, 2010.

 Seniors who do not participate in the entire Graduation Rehearsal will not be allowed to participate in the Graduation ceremony. Bowie High School 15200 Annapolis Road Bowie, Maryland 20715 Telephone: 301-805-2600 School website: http://www.pgcps.org/~bowie “Excellence From All, For All”

 Graduation tickets, and Caps and Gowns will be distributed immediately following the rehearsal.

SENIOR’S OFFICIAL LAST DAY May 14, 2010

th Prom will take place on May 14 from 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. at Martin’s Crosswinds. Students must pay their financial obligations and have all Student Service Hours in order to participate. Parents will not be allowed into the prom area unless chaperoning the event. Parent pictures and videos should be taken at an alternate location.

It has been our pleasure to assist you with preparing your child to launch into the wonderful world of adulthood. On behalf of every staff person in the Bowie High School family, I would like to salute you for the huge role you have played in bringing your child to this monumental period.

Sincerely,

Mrs. J. W. Spence Principal Bowie High School Bowie High School 15200 Annapolis Road Bowie, Maryland 20715 Telephone: 301-805-2600 School website: http://www.pgcps.org/~bowie “Excellence From All, For All”

Top Ten Things Parents Can Do to Prepare for Graduation

1. Read this entire document (letter) fully, then post it on your refrigerator.

2. Find your child’s senior contract.

3. Compare his/her contract with his/her grades and prepare accordingly.

4. Make sure your child takes all of his/her final examinations.

5. Check with your child’s Guidance Counselor or your child’s Administrator to ensure that your child has met his/her H.S.A. requirements.

6. Check with Mrs. Marceron or Mrs. T. Price to ensure your child has met his/her financial obligations. Keep all receipts!

7. Purchase an appropriate Graduation outfit for your child that adheres to the Graduation dress code given above.

8. Drive your child to Graduation Rehearsal and Graduation, or wake them so that they arrive on time. If you cannot bring your child, double check his/her transportation plans. Plan to arrive ½ hour early. It is far better to be early than late.

9. Check SchoolMax weekly to ensure that your child is successful in all classes.

10. Should additional credits be required for summer graduation, contact your child’s counselor immediately.

11. Please access the following websites for additional updates and reminders.

http://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org/bhsgrad2010/ http://sites.google.com/a/pgcps.org/bowie-high-school-class-of-2010/

Thank you for all of your support. Bowie High School 15200 Annapolis Road Bowie, Maryland 20715 Telephone: 301-805-2600 School website: http://www.pgcps.org/~bowie “Excellence From All, For All”