Seniors - Class of 2024 Graduates

• SENIORS Wear your graduation gown, cap and regalia.

• Seniors meet at the entry of their Feeder Elementary Schools - Buffalo Ridge, Timber Trail, Redstone & Wildcat Mountain Elementary.

Please take a moment to read through this newsletter. We have a lot of NEW and IMPORTANT information pertaining to the activities prior to graduation, the graduation ceremony and information for after graduation.

Take a look at the Table of Contents to the left for a quick reference link.

• ✅ Senior check out; the forms will be going out during seminar on May 2nd.
• Once their forms are completed and they have all the required signatures, they may proceed to the area outside the Box Office and pick up their graduation bags.
• 🎓 Graduation Bags Include: all honor cords, AP/Biliteracy pins and their cap, gown & tassel (if students ordered one through Jostens).
• Graduation Ceremony at DU (5/24)
• 🚘 Parking information (maps)
• 🚫 PROHIBITED items at DU and the
• Security screening process - NEW INFORMATION
• Graduation Ceremony -
• No tickets required, we ask that you limit the number of guest to no more than 10 people per graduate.
• Graduation Live Streaming LINK
• Graduation:
• 📷 LifeTouch Picture information
• DU 📀 order form for a DVD copy of the live ceremony.
• After graduation information/Alumnus Information - Final Transcripts (when will they be sent), IC access, vaccination records & how to request official transcripts.

If They Fall Into Any of the Categories Listed Below...

*Seniors will have an invite card in their grad bag if they are invited. However, bags are distributed on 5/17. Please use the information below as a guide to see if they are invited.

Yes, if they fall into any of the categories listed below...

• All cords, stoles, and pins contained in the cap and gown bag should be worn at Honors night; please leave your graduation cap at home.
• This is an invitation-only event to honor many of our outstanding seniors in the following categories:

Cumulative GPA 3.5 and above.

• Generally speaking, all students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher should expect to receive an invitation in their graduation bag.
• AP Scholar / AP Scholar with Honors / AP Scholar with Distinction / AP Capstone Diploma

Honor Societies listed below:

• High School of Business
• International Thespian Honor Society
• Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society
  
• National Art Honor Society
• National Chinese Honor Society
• National Computer Science Honor Society
• National English Honor Society
• National Honor Society
• National Speech & Debate Association
• National Technical Honor Society
• Quill & Scroll Honor Society
• Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society
• Science National Honor Society
• Seal of Biliteracy
• Société Honoraire de Français
• Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica
• Tri-M Music Honor Society
  

Graduation Bag Pick Up is on Friday, May 17th from 8am - 12pm.
Graduates must have the Senior Check Out Form completed & signed before they can pick up their graduation bag (more information to come).

If they are unable to pick up their bag at that time, they can stop by the front office.

***Highest Honors 4.00 or higher / Signified by a gold honor stole ***

** High Honors 3.75 - 3.99 / Signified by gold cords **

* Honors 3.5 - 3.74 / Signified by gold and white cords *

• We only allow students to wear honor cords for the GPA's listed above, nationally recognized honor societies that the school sponsors.
• All of these achievements have been achieved through RCHS during their high school career.
• Everything that your student receives in their graduation bag: cap/gown, honor cords and pins are approved and should be worn for Honors Night, if your student is invited and during the graduation ceremony.

*Students are not allowed to wear any other pins or acknowledgements for accolades outside of the categories listed below.

Jostens was recently onsite doing an inventory of our cap & gowns for our upcoming graduates.

We have a long list of students who did not order a cap & gown from Jostens. Every year we reach out to these parents to confirm that their students are borrowing one from a sibling or former graduate of RCHS. *Please note; not all cap and gowns are the same. If your graduate is borrowing a cap & gown from a someone who graduated from RCHS, then you are all set! *If not, please feel free to stop by the front office to confirm that it matches what the RCHS graduates will be wearing.

FYI - we will be sending a message soon to the parents whose students have not ordered a cap & gown from Jostens to confirm that your student will have one for graduation.

IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A CAP & GOWN AND NEED TO ORDER ONE, please reach out directly to Jostens.

Contact Customer Service

Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Central

Announcements & Graduation Products

Phone: 303-985-0095 or order online.

Senior Check Out Forms will be distributed on Thursday, May 2nd during seminar.

Senior Finals - May 8, 2024 to May 10, 2024

• Finals will be on the 8th, 9th or 10th depending on when your teacher schedules them.*

• NO Attendance will be taken for Seniors after May 10th.

Senior Paper Toss / Seniors Last Day of School - Friday / May 10, 2024

• Last day of school for Seniors - when the bell rings, the paper toss begins in the commons.

Senior Check Out / Handprints / Moving Up Ceremony - Friday / May 17, 2024

• 8-12 pm Pick up graduation bags - outside the Box Office. Graduation bags include pre-ordered cap & gowns, honor cords and pins.

• 1-2 pm Senior Handprints on the Senior Wall

• 2-2:50 pm Moving Up Assembly / Gym

Senior Sunset Celebration - Friday / May 17, 2024 (6-8pm)

• Celebration with free food, music and fun in the RCHS student parking lot.

• RCHS Seniors Only (this event is NOT for families, parents or siblings).

• Most Likely to Awards/Student & Faculty Speakers/Musical Performance/Food Provided

Senior Honors Night - Monday / May 20th at 6pm / Southeast Christian Church - Worship Center

• Awards and Honors will be presented to Seniors / Student & Faculty Speakers / Musical Performance.

• INVITATION ONLY - No tickets required.

Senior Clap Out - Wednesday / May 22nd at 8:45am

• Seniors meet at the entry of their Feeder Elementary Schools - Buffalo Ridge, Timber Trail, Redstone & Wildcat Mountain Elementary.

• WEAR your graduation gown, cap and regalia!

Graduation Rehearsal - Thursday / May 23rd at 10:30am

• All Seniors are required to attend the mandatory rehearsal in the RCHS Gym. Rehearsal should last approximately 90 minutes.

• Attire is casual, DO NOT bring your cap and gown.

Graduation Ceremony - Friday / May 24, 2024 at 5pm (No Tickets Required)

• Magness Arena - at the Ritchie Center (University of Denver) / Doors Open at 4pm.

• The ceremony can take anywhere from 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.

• We recommend that graduates bring no more than 10 guests for the commencement ceremony.

*Check Senior Newsletter for up to date information as it’s released.*

Lifetouch will photograph our graduates and 3-5 days after the ceremony the portraits will be uploaded to a Photo Day website you can access using the link below.

We recommend that each graduate has

* No more than 10 guests *

Present at the commencement ceremony *No tickets will be required for entry.*

To view the RCHS Commencement Ceremony, use the following link

1. Prior to entering the Ritchie Center, all patrons will be subject to security screening, including metal detector screening and inspection of medically necessary bags or other items carried in.
2. If you elect not to consent to the searches, you will be denied entry into the venue. The level of security screening may be modified on an event-by-event basis at the discretion of Ritchie Center staff.
   
3. No knives of any kind are allowed.

Graduation will take place at Magness Arena or Hamilton Gymnasium within The Ritchie Center on the University of Denver’s campus.

Please see below for important information about your ceremony.

Address — The Ritchie Center is located at 2240 Buchtel Blvd S, Denver, CO 80210.

Entrances— There are three main entrances for the building, the North, West, and South entrances. These are indicated on the map by a yellow star.

ADA Entrances—The Ritchie Center recommends using the lower North and South entrances for ADA related entry. The lower North entrance is off of Buchtel Blvd, directly in front of the main circle. This circle is to be used for ADA drop-off only, with ADA parking in Lot 311 and Lot 401. The South entrance is off of E Asbury Avenue, with closest parking available in Lot L.

Special Notes—Please plan to arrive EARLY for your scheduled graduation ceremony. Traffic and parking become very congested as there are very few entry points to our parking lots. There is also a NO bag policy for all guests wishing to enter the Ritchie Center for a graduation ceremony.

As part of our effort to speed up entry to graduation ceremonies and maintain the safest possible environment for all guests, please note the following prohibited items within The Ritchie Center for all events in Magness Arena and Hamilton Gymnasium.

• The Ritchie Center has a NO bag policy for graduation ceremonies
• Guests who require a diaper bag or bag for medical equipment are permitted to bring a bag no larger than 12 in. x 6 in. x 12 in.
• All guests entering with medical or diaper bags are subject to visual screening upon entry. There is no bag check available at The Ritchie Center.
• Guests will not be allowed to enter with an unapproved bag.
• Animals (service animals permitted) • Artificial noisemakers; air horns, whistles, vuvuzelas, etc.
• Balloons, balls, confetti, frisbees, and other projectiles
• Candles or open flames • Derogatory/defamatory clothing or signage
• Firearms, weapons, and dangerous devices
• Flash photography, video cameras, recording devices, cameras with detachable lenses
• Fireworks
• Hard-shell coolers, containers, thermoses (to include hydroflasks and metal water bottles)
• Illegal drugs or alcohol
• Inflatable objects (beach balls, latex balloons, “clappers”, etc.)
• Laser pointers or other disturbing items
• Outside food and beverages, including empty or full plastic bottles, glass bottles, and cans
• Oversized signs or banners (larger than 28” x 22”), to include any signage with a stick or pole attached
• Other items deemed prohibited by Ritchie Center and Event Staff Management reserves the right to handle each occurrence on a case-by-case basis.
• All permitted bags, jackets and guests are subject to search upon entering The Ritchie Center.

As part of our effort to maintain the safest possible environment for all guests, please note the following security screening protocols in place at the Ritchie Center.

1. Prior to entering the Ritchie Center, all patrons will be subject to security screening, including metal detector screening and inspection of medically necessary bags or other items carried in.
2. If you elect not to consent to the searches, you will be denied entry into the venue. The level of security screening may be modified on an event-by-event basis at the discretion of Ritchie Center staff.
3. Management reserves the right to handle each occurrence on a case-by-case basis. All permitted bags, jackets and guests are subject to search upon entering

The Ritchie Center. FAQ’s

Q: Why is metal detection screening required?

A: The Ritchie Center, in conjunction with many arenas around the country, have increased security measures in a fashion that will ensure the safest environment at all events. Fan and staff safety is a top priority for the Ritchie Center and this new process greatly enhances our arena security.

Q: Can I still bring a stroller through the metal detector? What about a wheelchair?

A: All guests are screened prior to entry. Those with strollers and those who use wheelchairs will not have to go through walk-through detectors, but they will be subject to an alternate screening method.

Q: I have a medical device that sets off metal detectors. What should I do?

A: Discreetly contact the event staff at the entry gate. They are trained and prepared to help you with an alternative screening method.

Q: Will I need to remove any items from my pockets?

A: No. All items including cell phone, wallets, and keys can remain in your pockets as you enter through the detector.

Q: What if I have a prohibited item that sets off the detector?

A: Guests with prohibited items will be asked to return them to their vehicle.

Graduation Parking is $10.00/vehicle (CASH ONLY) and will be available in the following lots:

• Lot 108, Lot C, Lot L, and Lot W
• ADA Parking—Lot 311 (Lot 314 and Lot 401 available on select dates)

Please REFRAIN from parking in the following areas as they are NOT affiliated with the University of Denver and are PRIVATE PROPERTY:

• RTD Parking Lot
• Apartment/Condominium and Residential Parking on Buchtel Blvd, University Blvd and E Jewell Avenue
• University Park Tower Condominiums do not have public parking available. Parking in this complex is subject to the violator being ticketed and/or towed.
• Permitted Only Parking in neighborhood streets—please note time limits, zones, and permit only areas

At the conclusion of the graduation ceremony, please proceed to the west side of The Ritchie Center to be reunited with your graduate.

You may exit from all entrances and make your way to our soccer and lacrosse stadiums are located—graduates will exit directly outside of these stadiums from the lower level of the arena. This area is indicated by the gold star within the map above.

Once reunited with your graduate, please clear the area. There may be another graduation ceremony or outdoor event that may require you to clear the vicinity of The Ritchie Center quickly. We encourage you to cross the street of Asbury Avenue to explore campus and take pictures with your graduates in the surrounding areas.

**Please note: DVD Orders are taken directly by DU. If you have any questions, please reach out to them directly.*

The following information will be printed on your graduates diploma envelope. They will receive their diploma after the graduation ceremony.

• Download & Print your official transcript & Immunization Records - located in your Portal Account under Reports by June 30, 2024

• Final transcripts will be sent to the university designated on your senior survey no later than June 14, 2024

• Portal and Google Accounts will be permanently shut down June 30, 2024.

• After September 1, 2024, use the following link to request transcripts, immunizations & other record-: https://douglasco.scriborder.com

CLASS MOTTO - "Love the life you live. Live the life you LOVE." - Bob Marley

SENIOR SONG - "Where'd All The Time Go" by Dr. Dog

If you have any questions relating to Senior Honors Night or the Graduation Ceremony?

Please contact the Front Office at 303-387-3000 or email us.

Principal / Andy Abner

5810 McArthur Ranch Road, Highlands Ranch, CO 80124

Main Line 303-387-3000

24-Hour Attendance Line 303-387-3002

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