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Important graduation information for May 14

March 14, 2024

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Broken Arrow High School’s senior class will celebrate their graduation at Broken Arrow High School’s Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14. The makeup dates are May 15 or May 16 if there is inclement weather. Project Graduation will take place Tuesday, May 14, regardless of weather. 

The following is important information about the 2024 BAHS graduation for Broken Arrow students, parents and patrons.

Tickets for Graduation

To keep from exceeding stadium capacity, each graduate has access to eight free tickets. Families can get their eight free tickets by using this link. The access code will be your graduate’s student ID number. Tickets can be shared or transferred by email or text. 

• Stadium gates will open at 5:30 p.m. Please have your tickets viewable when you arrive at the gate. Do not redeem or validate your tickets before entering the stadium.
• Seating will be available on the home side and visitor’s side. Seating is first come, first served. Guests are asked to be in their seats by 6:45 p.m. for a 7 p.m. start time.
• Graduates should report to their designated area at the high school no later than 5:30 p.m.
• Water and concessions will be available for patrons to purchase. Water will be provided to students.
• The only bags permitted in facilities are those that are clear and smaller than 12"x6"x12". Exceptions are made for individuals with medical conditions and diaper bags with an accompanying child. (See graphic for more details.)
• Items that could be considered a distraction to the graduation ceremony such as inflatables or noise makers are not allowed inside Memorial Stadium. There will be a security check of bags and personal belongings as patrons enter.

Those not able to attend the ceremony can view the event live online via ArrowVision.tv or the district’s YouTube channel.

Requirements for Participation in Graduation Ceremony

Students who need more than 1 unit (2 credits) for graduation shall NOT be permitted to participate in graduation exercises. This includes the current courses in which the student is enrolled. BAHS ineligibility report on the first Thursday of May will be used to determine if a student is currently passing all required courses to meet the graduation ceremony participation requirements of 1 unit (2 credits) remaining.

Parking for Graduates

PARKING: Seniors are highly encouraged to park at Vanguard and take advantage of the graduate shuttle service to and from BAHS. Parking at Vanguard will give seniors the opportunity to avoid the traffic leaving the high school campus after the ceremony.

In an effort to help with traffic control, a portion of County Line will be closed from 4 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on May 14. The shuttle service will have access to the closed road on County Line, providing seniors faster access to their vehicle after the ceremony and allowing them to avoid any major traffic that may occur as patrons are trying to exit the main high school campus. Parking at Vanguard is limited on a first-come, first-served basis, and seniors are encouraged to carpool, if possible. Shuttle service is provided to graduates only. 

Handicapped parking is available with a valid permit in the parking lot behind the home stands. General parking is limited, and carpooling is encouraged when feasible.

Graduation Ceremony Staging Areas and Seating

In preparation for graduation, class attendance for seniors is optional on Tuesday, May 14. There will be no rehearsal with all graduates, but information on how to process onto the field is below. 

Graduates will meet at 5:30 pm in one of four areas on campus according to last name to stage for graduation. Each alphabet quadrant will be assigned to be seated in a designated area on the field. 

• Last name A-D will meet in the media center and will be seated in the Northeast corner of the field. Mr. Jackson will be the principal overseeing this quadrant. Please check-in at the tables in the media center.
• Last name E-K will meet in the hall where Main meets Building A (the hall of windows that runs between Building A and the media center) and will be seated in the Northwest corner of the field. Mr. Starr will be the principal overseeing this quadrant. Please check-in at the tables near the coffee shop.
• Last name L-R will meet in the cafeteria and will be seated in the Southwest corner of the field. Mr. Brannon will be the staff member overseeing this quadrant.
• Last name S-Z will meet in the student union and will be seated in the Southeast corner of the field. Ms. Jones will be the principal overseeing this quadrant.

Students should arrive in the designated staging area no later than 5:30 p.m. on May 14. They will be given a name card to provide to the name callers as they are preparing to walk on stage, and they will also be given a wristband to attend Project Graduation. 

Graduates may sit anywhere they would like within the alphabet quadrant. Each row on the field will have 15 chairs, and graduates should form groups of 15 students within their alphabet quadrant for the processional onto the field. Staff and junior marshals will be available to direct graduates to their seats and will provide instructions on when to move toward the stage.

After receiving their diploma cover, graduates are required to remain in their seat on the field until the ceremony is complete.

Appropriate Dress for Graduates

Graduates should bring all parts of their graduation attire (stole, honor stoles, etc.) including their mortarboard WITHOUT decorations and their tassel on May 14. Graduates must follow the school dress code underneath their graduation gown.Sandals are permitted, but wearing heels is discouraged as it will be difficult to walk on the football field turf. 

Graduates may only wear hoods, stoles, cords, pins or medals that were earned while they were a student at Broken Arrow and were presented to them by a recognized curricular club or organization at Broken Arrow, Tulsa Technology Center, Tulsa Community College, other higher education school, or Broken Arrow Public Schools. 

Pre-Approved Stoles/Cords

Stole Colors:

• Blue Stole - National Honor Society Stole
• Grey Stole – Vanguard, Virtual, Early College High School and Options Academy
• Gold Stole - Class of Distinction (Top 3%)
• Silver Stole – Tulsa Technology National Honor Society
• White Stole - Top 10%

Cord Colors:

• Blue Cord – Dual Credit to College Degree
• Red and Gold Cord - Tiger Challenge Service Award
• Red, White and Blue Cord – Military Enlistment
• White Cord – College, Career, Life Ready

Per BAPS secondary handbook (revised and Board of Education approved April 15, 2024), special circumstances such as cultural clothing must be approved by a principal. Any student graduate at any Broken Arrow High School campus who wishes to represent their tribal, religious or ethnic heritage during the ceremony must follow the below approval process. 

• Complete and submit this application (one of the items is a picture of the requested regalia) 

• If requesting to wear Native American regalia, the Indian Education Coordinator, will schedule time to meet with students. The Indian Education Coordinator will inform the student in writing of approval status.

• If requesting to wear something OTHER than Native American regalia, the high school principal will schedule a time to meet with students to discuss the request.

• Site principal will inform the student in writing of approval status.

Please refer to the Graduation Regalia Standards and Regulations for more information.

How to Wear Graduation Regalia

• Wear your mortarboard (cap) so the point is in the front, about one inch above the eyebrows. It should be level and not slanted, and your tassel should be placed on the right side.

• Gold BA Stole should be worn so that the BA is in the center of your chest. The seams should be atop your shoulders on both sides. It should hang evenly in the back. This should be put on first before any other stoles or cords.

• National Honor Society Stole (light blue) should be worn on top of your Gold BA stole.

• Academic Honor Stoles (Top 3% and 10%) should be worn with the two sides parallel to each other and both sides should fall evenly down the outside of your gown. These should be worn on top of your NHS Stole, or if you have no NHS stole, they should be worn on top of your BA Gold Stole.

• Tiger Challenge and Technical Honor Society stole should be worn on top of all of the above.

• Honor Cords should fall evenly on both sides down the outside of your gown. Pin the cord in place with a safety pin in the back at right below the neckline to ensure that it doesn’t slip or fall off.

Photography

Candid Color Photography will be taking photos at the graduation ceremony. If you had your photo taken on March 27 or 28, you have already pre-registered. If you did not have your photo taken on either of those dates, please register here. Graduates will need to be sure to upload a clear selfie by midnight on May 12. The selfie will only be used for facial recognition, and pre-registration will ensure that any photos taken of you at graduation are sent directly to your email or phone. 

Post Ceremony Celebration

Project Graduation will be held after the graduation ceremony on May 14 at Broken Arrow High School. Students must participate in the graduation ceremony and be wearing their graduation wristband to attend. They will be excused from school on Wednesday, May 15. Admission will take place from 10:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the gym lobby, and students will be released at 2 a.m. Food and activities will be provided.

If you have questions or experience any issues, please contact Christian Welborn at cwelborn@baschools.org.