EVENT DETAILS

Graduation Meeting for Students and Caregivers
Starting 3/7/2023 at 6:00 PM until 7:30 PM
Event Groups:
• The Charles School - The Charles School Events
Description:
Dear Parents and Caregivers of the Class of 2023:
Congratulations!  Your student is nearing the conclusion of their high school career, and is about to embark on the next phase of life.  TCS@ODU will celebrate the graduation of the Class of 2023 on Saturday, May 13th.  There will be a graduation meeting for students and caregivers held at TCS on Tuesday, March 7th from 6pm-7:30pm. The details that are available now are listed below.  

At this time, Ms. Jones and Mrs. Girard schedule weekly College Readiness Seminar meetings with all members of the graduating class to discuss graduation plan progress, college applications and FAFSA or other post-secondary plans, and answer any questions they have had. Student attendance and participation in these meetings is required; please follow up with your student about their attendance and participation at these meetings. Your student should have attempted either the ACT or SAT at least once, preferably twice by now. Fee waivers are available for students who qualify.   Please see Ms. Jones or Mrs. Girard with questions.  It remains your student’s responsibility to complete and pass coursework, submit applications and request transcripts to be mailed.  The high school transcript request form is available on the TCS website under the “Student” tab; college transcripts need to be requested directly from ODU or CSCC.  Although there are several advisors working with students depending on his or her academic situation, Ms. Jones  and Mrs. Girard are available to help families with college-specific questions, including Common App, FAFSA inquiries and transcript requests.  Families can set up appointments, email, or call their office as needed.

Caps and Gowns: Commencement regalia ordering will begin at the Graduation Meeting on Tuesday March 7th. A google form will be available for families to fill out. Please be prepared with your student’s height, weight, and chest measurements for ease of completion. We will distribute caps and gowns to students starting Monday 5/8, so long as they are in good academic standing credit wise and are on track to graduate.

Tickets:  Seating at ODU, the location for graduation, is somewhat limited. Students can expect to receive 8 tickets for graduation for the commencement ceremony.  Children who require their own seat will require their own ticket.   If additional tickets become available, students will receive them one at a time on a first-come, first-served basis. Current TCS students and TCS alumni can obtain tickets directly from the TCS front office.   Tickets will be dispersed the last week of school (for seniors) when students obtain their caps and gowns. In the event of inclement weather, the event will still be held outdoors. Ponchos will be available as needed for families and graduates. 

Diplomas:  In order for a student to participate in the commencement ceremony, they must have completed and passed all required coursework.  Students who are missing any credits will not be permitted to participate in the program.  If your student is in a position of needing to complete credits over the summer, or return in the fall, they  may participate in the following May’s commencement (2024), but will not be able to participate this year.   
 
Honors Diplomas:  The distinction of graduating with an Honors Diploma is set by the state of Ohio, not TCS@ODU.  In order to earn an Honors Diploma, a student must meet the requirements set forth on the Ohio Department of Education’s website, available at this link: https://tinyurl.com/ODEHonorsDiplomas.  If you have questions about your student’s eligibility for an Honors Diploma, please contact their advisor.
 
IMPORTANT DATES FOR GRADUATION
Tuesday, March 7th
6:00 PM Graduation Meeting: During this introductory meeting, we will go over some of the graduation details and answer any questions you may have. You will be able to chat with your student’s advisor about their graduation progress if needed. We will also be asking for cap & gown measurements as well as some information about where you and your family are with completing the FAFSA. 
 
Wednesday, April 26th
6:00 PM Graduation Meeting: During this meeting we will go over graduation details and answer any questions you may have about the Commencement Ceremony. Please do not wait to contact us until this meeting if you have questions about your graduate! We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have about your graduate as soon as possible. This meeting will be an information session about Commencement Ceremony logistics.
 
Friday, May 12th 
1:00 PM Graduation Rehearsal:  It is imperative all students attend graduation rehearsal.  Please ensure that your student requests time off work during this time.  The graduation ceremony is very involved, and they need to know where to go, how to get there, and when to do it.  The rehearsal is the only time they will have to practice!  Parents, you need not attend the rehearsal.  Location:  ODU Oval (Outside Erskine Hall).
 
Saturday, May 13th
12:00PM Graduation Luncheon:  This event is for our TCS graduates to take the opportunity to enjoy a meal with their teachers and professors in celebration of their accomplishments.  Location:  Griffin Student Center, Room 260. Students only, please.
2:00 PM:  Graduation Reception: Families are welcome to join us for refreshments prior to the start of the Commencement Ceremony.  Location: ODU Oval (outside Erskine Hall).
3:00 PM:  Commencement Ceremony:  This is the formal ceremony in which students will walk across the stage and receive their diplomas.  Seating will begin at 2:30.  Location: ODU Oval (outside Erskine Hall).
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns you have about any of the events leading up to and including graduation day. 

Lydia Jones can be reached via email at [email protected],  Rachel Girard can be reached via email at [email protected], and the TCS Administrative Team can be reached at [email protected]. All  can be reached by phone by calling the main office of The Charles School at 614-258-8588. All forms, documents, and important announcements will be posted to the Class of 2023 Google Classroom, which all graduates have access to.  If parents/caregivers have not yet been invited to the Google Classroom and would like to be, please reach out to your student’s advisor.

Thank you,
TCS Graduation Team