GRADUATION: May 31, 3:00 PM Merriweather Post Pavilion
Graduates need to be at Merriweather by 2:00 PM. We expect all graduates to be in their seats by 2:15 PM. We will NOT be holding graduation rehearsal on Wednesday morning.
GRADUATION ATTIRE
Graduation Caps and Gowns are required for the commencement ceremony
Students may only wear graduation stoles or cords that are distributed through an HCPSS or River Hill High School club or organization.
Graduates should wear solid colors since the robes are somewhat transparent and prints may show through the robe.
Our seniors are asked not to wear sneakers, tennis shoes, flip-flops, deck shoes, or other similar types of casual footwear. Students will want to consider low-heeled shoes due to the distance they process and the steps they navigate.
ACCESSIBILITY
For each graduation, HCPSS will feature an online video stream and a live textual transcript. There will be ASL interpreters at each ceremony, on stage left and visible on the large screens at Merriweather, live feed and re-broadcasts.
PARKING
Parking Map for 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Ceremonies
Students and guests are strongly encouraged to ride together and must park in the assigned lots when arriving at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Uniformed parking attendants will facilitate parking for all HCPSS commencement ceremonies and will redirect guests if/when lots are full. Please follow the signs and direction of the parking attendants to make the event run as smoothly as possible.
In addition, please note:
Parking lots will open one hour prior to each ceremony’s start time. Guests who arrive earlier will not be allowed to park until the lots open.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, please make every effort to vacate the parking lot as quickly as possible so that parking is available for the next graduation ceremony.
Merriweather Lot 1, located just inside the Little Patuxent Parkway at Merriweather Dr., is designated as ADA parking. Please refer to either map. Entrants must have a disability placard and/or license plate. Parking staff also may direct vehicles to other marked ADA spaces if they are available.
Guests with disabilities also may be dropped off and picked up in the identified area near the accessible seating (please refer to maps).
PHOTOGRAPHY
Commencement ceremonies are public events and, as such, may be photographed or videotaped. HCPSS photographers,
HCPSS will take photos of students in the audience and speakers on stage during each ceremony. Those photos will be available for viewing and/or download on the HCPSS Flickr site no later than June 12. Lifetouch will provide photographs of individual students receiving their diplomas. Complimentary proofs are mailed to each graduate, with no obligation to purchase, or may be accessed online.
It is imperative that media and other photographers/videographers do not interfere with the official documenting of commencement events and observe the following guidelines:
Representatives of news outlets should wear their media ID badges in a plain sight. Upon arrival at Merriweather Post Pavilion on the day of the event, check in backstage with the HCPSS graduation coordinator(s).
Follow directions regarding where you will be permitted to stand in order to avoid interfering with the commencement activities.
No photos or video are to be shot from the stage unless special permission is obtained in advance through the Office of Communications (410-313-6682). Special permission will not be granted on the day of the commencement.
Failure to follow these guidelines may result in removal from the premises.
HOW TO WATCH GRADUATIONS
HCPSS will stream each graduation online. Viewers will access the online graduations at the school's scheduled date/time by going to www.hcpss.org up to 10 minutes prior to each event. Archived videos will be available soon after each graduation's end by selecting the applicable school from the boxes above on this page. Videos will remain on the HCPSS website until next year’s graduations, or can be accessed permanently on the HCPSS YouTube channel.
HCPSS also will rebroadcast the graduations on Howard County cable channels 42 (Verizon) and 95 (Comcast) on the schedule below. Please note, rebroadcast schedules are subject to change.
River Hill High School