Road to Graduation

Dear RPS Seniors and Families,

Congratulations! We’re just over a month away from graduation, and are excited to begin sharing information about important milestones on your road to graduation. Expect updates from RPS until then, and keep an eye out for school-specific notes from your principal. 

Graduation ceremonies will be held on May 22 and May 26-29. 

• Richmond Virtual Academy will be hosted at the Main Library - Richmond Public Library (101 E. Franklin St.) on Friday, May 22, at 10 a.m. 
• Thomas Jefferson High School, Huguenot High School, John Marshall High School, Armstrong High School, Richmond High School for the Arts, and Richmond Success Academy will have their ceremonies at Virginia Commonwealth University at the Siegel Center (1200 W. Broad St.). These graduations will take place Tuesday, May 26 - Thursday, May 28. 
• Open High School, Richmond Community High School, and Franklin Military Academy ceremonies will be hosted at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Singleton Center for the Performing Arts (922 Park Ave.). Please check out more information on your specific ceremony here. Bookmark that page for regular updates!

A few things to know before you go: 

• Parking
  • Main Library - Students and families with parking passes will park on Franklin St. each family will receive ONE parking pass per graduate from their school.
  • VCU - Each family will receive one parking pass per graduate from their school. Each school will have a limited number of additional parking passes for sale at the rate of $10 per pass from April 16 – May 19. Contact your school to purchase a parking pass. Parking passes will be distributed to students the week prior to graduation.  Students and families with parking passes will park in the West Broad Street parking deck (1111 West Broad St). All cars parking in the deck MUST have a parking pass – there will be no payment at the gate.
• Tickets: Given space and security concerns, each graduate will receive seven tickets to the ceremony. We know that might be tight for some families, and we appreciate your understanding as we work to balance safety, equity, and celebration for all RPS graduates and their families. Tickets will be distributed to graduates one week prior to graduation.
• Streaming: All graduations will be streamed on their school’s website, and we encourage you to share the URL with family and friends so that they can take part in the moment!

Finally, don't forget a few to-dos before graduation! SOLs are currently underway, with additional testing continuing through May. If you have questions regarding testing, please reach out to your school. Please remember that no phones or devices are allowed during testing; if your student is caught with an electronic device, they will receive a 0. Finally, all grades must be posted by Friday, May 15, so please check with your teachers about any final graded assignments before that date. The last day for seniors is Tuesday, May 19.

We are so proud of you all and are excited to support you through this celebration.

Dear Parents and Guardians of the Class of 2026:

Graduation is just over a month away, and the ceremonies for Richmond Public Schools are scheduled to take place at three locations: the Richmond Public Library for RVA Secondary, the Singleton Center (VCU) for our specialty schools and the Siegel Center at Virginia Commonwealth University for our comprehensive schools. Graduations are scheduled for May 22 and the week of May 25. The purpose of the graduation ceremony is to create a formal setting to present each graduate the evidence of their academic achievement, the diploma. For students, it marks the passage to adulthood and all of the opportunities that life with a diploma in hand can bring. For parents and guardians, it is a moment filled with emotion and pride.

To ensure the safety of our graduates and families, metal detectors will be used at every venue.  Additionally, no bags will be permitted into the ceremonies with the exception of  a clear gallon-sized, zip-lock bag that may be used for personal care items for infants and toddlers, keys, and cell phones. RPS will not provide zip-lock bags; they must be brought by the attendee. Please review the Enhanced Graduation Ceremony Protocols document included with this letter for more details on acceptable and required protocols for all participants and guests.

Schools will conduct multiple rehearsals at their schools, your school will share details about rehearsals in a separate communication. Close to the week of graduation schools will distribute 7 tickets that admit one guest per ticket.  Children over the age of 2 require a seat and must have a ticket to attend. Graduation will begin on-time; any guests arriving after the processional will be required to wait to enter the venue until after the anthems are complete.

Graduates are to arrive at the graduation venue one hour before the ceremony. Details regarding the student entry point and staging area will be shared by the school at rehearsal. Students should not bring phones, purses or keys to graduation. Students may not leave anything in the staging areas and there is no re-entry after the ceremony. Students graduating from the Siegel or Singleton Center at Virginia Commonwealth University will use the West Broad Street Parking Deck; RVA Secondary will share parking information with their families separately. RPS will provide one parking pass per family, and additional passes may be purchased via the student’s school April 16 - May 9 at $10 per pass.  A parking pass is required for entry; only those with a parking pass will be allowed in the deck.

We want all students to participate in this milestone event, however, safety and discipline concerns and completion of all graduation requirements prior to the ceremonies may result in the loss of this privilege. Please note that guests engaging in disruptive behavior during the ceremony will be immediately removed by security.  All attendees must exit the premises immediately following the conclusion of the ceremony.

On behalf of your Principal and myself, we are deeply honored to recognize our prospective graduates’ achievements. We look forward to hosting you and your family as you celebrate this accomplishment with all of the dignity and grace deserved on this momentous occasion. 

Sincerely,

Leslie Wiggins

Chief Academic Officer

Good morning, RPS Seniors and Families! We’re back with your “Road to Graduation” update. As we get closer to graduation day, excitement is building, and we can’t wait to celebrate this incredible milestone with you. This is your moment to shine, reflect on how far you’ve come, and look ahead to all that’s next. We want every graduate to feel proud, confident, and fully prepared to walk across that stage.

To help ensure a smooth, safe, and memorable ceremony for everyone, we’ve outlined a few important guidelines on what to wear and where you can personalize your regalia. These expectations are designed to keep the focus on celebrating your achievements while allowing space for appropriate self-expression.

Clothing

Students are expected to wear comfortable yet appropriate clothing under their gowns for graduation, such as business attire. High heels are strongly discouraged, as the walk from the holding area to the processional is quite long. Ensure your footwear is suitable for walking a significant distance.

Mortar Board Decoration

Students may individualize mortar boards if they comply with the guidelines provided. Students may purchase an additional stole but you may not decorate any stole provided in your graduation regalia package. The school stole must be worn on top of any additional stole. The stole must comply with the guidelines provided.

Students may not decorate the graduation gown.

Acceptable Decorations

• Thank a parent, grandparent, teacher, friend, guardian, etc.
• Celebration of the college/university student will be attending
• Graduation year decorations
• Branch of the military student will be joining
• Decorations representing your state or country of origin
• Other decorations that are positive may be reviewed with the senior sponsors or building administration

Prohibited Decorations

Any advertisement, symbols, abbreviations, initials, words, slogans, patches, or pictures that:

• Refer to drugs or controlled substances, tobacco, alcohol, or weapons
• Are sexual in nature
• Denote an affiliation with gangs or which advocate drug use, violence, illegal activity, or disruptive behavior
• Which is detrimental to the safety and welfare of other students
• Are obscene, profane, vulgar, or lewd
• Include numbers other than the graduation year
• Threaten the safety and welfare of any person
• Are 3-D creations
• Hang down from the sides of the cap

All decorations must be approved by the principal, senior class sponsor, graduation coordinator or principal’s designee prior to graduation. See your school administration for their deadline for gaining approval. Any unapproved decorations will result in the student being issued an undecorated cap for the ceremony.