Grad

Grad 2025 Information

SHS supports two main events for graduation. 

• Afternoon Ceremonies (cross the stage in gown and sash)
• Evening Celebration (grand march, speeches, dance)

There will be two Afternoon Ceremonies on May 24th. Each Ceremony is capped at 135 participants. Mandatory rehearsal for this event is on Friday, May 23rd, after lunch.

There are two separate time slots for this portion of grad which are: Use your GHSD email to sign up. Choose one form not both.

• Ceremony 1 - begins at 11:00-12:30 am (Not available yet)
• Ceremony 2 - begins at 1:30-3:00 pm (Not available yet)

Every guest attending the Ceremony MUST have a ticket!  Students will receive 6 tickets each.  Tickets can be exchanged and requested from peers.  We will have a ticket exchange board posted outside the Learning Commons on the Grad bulletin board.  Doors are open 45 minutes before the start time of each ceremony.

If you need any extra ceremony tickets OR you have extra ceremony tickets, please fill out the information on the Blue Bulletin Board outside the Learning Commons!!

Evening Celebration

The Evening Celebration begins at 7:00 pm in the Gym with the dance to follow in the Civic Centre ending at 11pm. This is where you come in your formal dress, discover who won the various categories of Senior Superlatives, and then move to the Civic Centre for the dance (the first 3 songs are for you to dance with family, and your escorts/dates).  Grads and their escorts will be announced as they enter the gym, pose for a picture, and circle the gym to upbeat music. Grads, your ticket is included in your mandatory grad fee of $30. The cost per guest tickets is $20 which will cover the 4-7 parent Social Hour as well. You may purchase up to 6 tickets. Tickets for guests will be sold online from ..... through the School Cash Online. Tickets will be distributed to grads on the ...... of May.

Any remaining Celebration tickets will be released for purchase on School Cash Online on ...... at 8 am.

If you are currently failing any of your courses required for graduation, and/or you have overdue textbooks, and/or you haven't paid your mandatory fees, and/or have poor attendance, you will NOT BE ELIGIBLE to participate in the Graduation Ceremony.

Please go to School Cash Online, to pay your fees by TBD. 

The mandatory Grad fee of $30 has been added to your School Fees online account. This fee covers the cost of all the AV equipment, your graduation certificate folder, your gown maintenance, your certificate folder, and your personal Grad Celebration ticket. 

Contact Mrs. Trish Larson in the office for information. 

See Mrs. Wathen in the Learning Commons to return or pay for your textbooks.

Please speak to your teachers and make a plan to get passing!

Common reasons for NOT being able to receive your Graduation Ceremony tickets:

Outstanding/Unpaid Fees

• Mandatory Spartan Council Fee $10.00 (Pay online, or make arrangements in office)
• Mandatory Grad Fee $30.00 (Pay online, or make arrangements in office)
• Sports Team Fees  (Pay online, or make arrangements with admin/coach)
• Damaged or Lost Text Books fines (See the library/learning commons to pay, or make arrangements in the office)

Please pay your fees through School Cash Online, and visit the Learning Commons to return/replace missing textbooks. 

Ceremonies will take place in the gymnasium on May 24th with 2 start times: 11:00 am & 1:30 pm. Graduates will have the opportunity to sign up for their preferred start time and we will do our best to accommodate everyone, but can't guarantee their chosen time. Each ceremony is capped at 135 participants.

The form to sign up will be posted on the Grad Google Classroom on

TBD

Grads will cross the stage while their personal thank you's and future plans are shared. Graduates will each be given 6 tickets for guests to attend. Everyone attending, even children, must have a ticket. Tickets will be distributed to eligible grads starting on the first week in May. 

*Both ceremonies will be live-streamed on the SHS Youtube channel for those unable to attend to watch and enjoy.

Eligible Grads: You will be able to pick up your ceremony tickets TBD

Ineligible Grads: When you become eligible your tickets will be placed in the main office for you to pick up. The list is not updated every day, so be patient, you will get your tickets eventually.

Extra Ceremony Tickets: If you are looking for extra Ceremony tickets, fill out a card and put it on the board outside the Learning Commons. Be patient, we are still weeks away from grad, you will be amazed what happens between now and then.

There will be a ceremony rehearsal for each group on Friday, May 23rd. Ceremony #1 rehearsal will start at 1:30pm, Ceremony #2 rehearsal will start at 2:30pm. Please make sure you are here as you will be given detailed instructions for the following day.

If you have urgent questions your student cannot answer you are welcome to phone either of the Grad Advisor - Ms. Williams, Ms. Legendre, or Mrs. Foldi - at the school (403) 934-3135.

Grads, please complete the Grad Write Up form will be posted in the Grad Google Classroom on TBD. Your Write-Up must be submitted by TBD. 

You must be using your GHSD email, and you can only reply once. This is what will be shown on the screen with your grad photo as you cross the stage. 3 sentences maximum. If you are participating in the ceremony you MUST complete this. This is your chance to thank your family, friends, teachers, and anyone who helped you get to where you are today. Tell us what your plans for the future are, where are you going to school, are you going to start your career, will you be travelling.

Ex. Thank you to my family for getting me up in the morning, helping me with homework, reminding me to pack a lunch, and celebrating with me when I succeeded. I will be attending the University of Zoltron in the fall with the goal of one day becoming a sousaphone player. Congratulations to my friends and classmates, we did it!

1. Try on your grad gown when you receive it. When you put on your grad gown, it should hit the middle of your calf.  If it is too long or too short please come and see me.  DO NOT exchange with another student.  Each gown is numbered and assigned by name

2. Each gown comes with a sash. You may want to safety pin the sash to your gown on the day of grad.  It tends to slide around

3. You do not need to wash the gown.  It was clean when you got it.  If for some reason you need to wash it, you can put it in the washing machine.  Hang to dry.

4. The gown needs to be returned immediately after the ceremony.  You may go onto the lawn for pictures, but DO NOT leave with the gown.

5. After the ceremony, place the gown in the labeled bins outside the cosmo room (room 104).  Each gown has a number on it so I will know you returned it.  Please don’t make me hunt you down to get my gown back!

Senior Quotes 2024

• Senior Quotes go under your grad portrait in the yearbook. It will be there forever. 

• You get 125 characters:  It can be heartfelt, funny, serious, or just plain random. Movie quotes, book quotes, song lyrics, teacher quotes, your own catchphrase... all fair game. 

• If you don't put anything you will just have a big blank space under your name. Please keep it school-appropriate so Ms. Riley doesn't have to change it to "inappropriate joke." She will do it. 

• If you change your mind, you will be able to go back and edit it until the due date on May 1st!

Look for the Google Form on TBD on the Grad Google Classroom

Here is the link: 

This is an OPTIONAL Parent Run Event held in the Civic Centre from 4-7pm. 

Date: May 25, 2024

Time: 4PM-7PM

Location: Strathmore Civic Centre

Cost: Is included in Evening Celebration tickets - Grads are FREE! 
Come in your duds and join us at the Civic Centre before the Evening Celebration to meet up with friends, play games, dance and enjoy the photo booths! *There is no meal offered at the Social Hour- but there may be Food Trucks out the back (TBD). More information about this event to come!

Have questions? Join the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/174198279098204/?ref=share&mibextid=NSMWBT or email Marilyn Balfour marilynbalfour@hotmail.com 

Please click below to access the latest Strathmore High School 2025 Graduation Photos FAQ's sheet.  Please click here for a snapshot of SHS Grad Notice "A Year to Remember" information sheet.

Book Your Appointment

Portrait Sittings: Friday, February 28 - Friday, March 7, 2025

Location:  Civic Centre

Note:  Book your appointment online at Prestige Portraits. Please come to your appointment 15 minutes prior to start to complete your paperwork and get into the gown. Choose Alberta & Strathmore and then "locate your school"; you will choose the Deluxe Sitting.  You must get to the final "confirmation" screen to ensure you have fully booked your session.

• Photo sittings will be every 30 minutes and run between 8:00 am - 4:00 pm. Please do not be late for your appointment as there will not be time to fit you in.
• All students MUST have their picture taken by Lifetouch so it can be included in the yearbook and composite. There is NO charge to have photos taken for yearbook & composite. Students who want their photos done by another company can simply inform the Lifetouch cameraman and no fee will be charged for the two photos taken.  You still need to book an appointment for this.
• If you would like a package, and therefore a sitting, there will be a $40 charge payable online. This package includes 8-10 formal cap & gown photos and 8-10 casual photos with a large variety of poses and backgrounds.  You can book your appointment with Lifetouch online at starting on Feb 1st, 2024. 
• What to wear for formal photos?  
  • Gentlemen: Traditionally wear a dress shirt and tie that compliments the school colours. 
  • Ladies:  Traditionally wear a tank top or v-neck for under the gown.
• What to wear for casual photos?
  • Casual clothing emphasizes comfort and personal expression.  You can bring props that are important to you during this time.  For example, sports gear, musical instrument, art supplies. Keep your hair and make up natural, otherwise you may not like it.  Please do not wear glitter.  This could be full length so don't forget to wear nice shoes.  Your proofs will be mailed to you approximately three weeks after final photo date.