Our graduation ceremony will be at the Northern Illinois University (NIU) Convocation Center in DeKalb, Illinois, on Wednesday, May 21st. The NIU Convocation Center seats 10,000 people, so tickets will not be needed for BHS graduates, families, or friends! As in the past, we will continue the tradition of streaming the Graduation Ceremony. The stream can be viewed on this page (in the Graduation Livestream section), live on our YouTube Channel, or broadcast Live on BATV, all starting at 7:00 PM.
Participation in the ceremony is optional. Students who do not participate can pick up their diplomas during the summer. There are several mandatory requirements for students who will be participating:
- Students must fulfill all BPS graduation requirements.
- Attendance and appropriate behavior at the graduation rehearsal on Tuesday, May 20th, at 9:00 a.m. in the Batavia High School gym is required.
- Seniors must be in good standing in order to participate in the graduation ceremony. Discipline referrals, participation in pranks, or other conduct violations will be considered in determining if a student is in good standing. All detentions must be served prior to graduating.
- All class, library, activity, or athletic obligations and fines must be cleared by 2:45 p.m. on Friday, May 16th. Lockers must also be emptied by this time.
Before the Ceremony
Arrival: The commencement ceremony will begin promptly at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21st When you enter the Convocation parking lot, please use entrances 2 – 5. Entrances 2, 3 & 4 are for express check-in – no purses or bags will be allowed if using these entrances. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for graduates and guests. Graduates should check in no later than 6:20 p.m. in the auxiliary gymnasium, which is located on the lower level by entrance #5. (6:00 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. may be used to take pictures). Guests may proceed to the main arena and find seats. General seating is available for guests, and handicapped-accessible seating is available. NIU has requested that you do not reserve or save seats.
Location: The Convocation Center is located on NIU’s West Campus, north of Lincoln Highway, west of the soccer field, and west of Huskie Stadium:
NIU Convocation Center
1525 West Lincoln Highway
DeKalb, IL 60115-2854
Directions from I-88: Exit onto Annie Glidden Road. From Annie Glidden Road, turn left (west) onto Lincoln Highway (Route 38) to the Convocation Center entrance.
Parking: From the main entrance on Lincoln Highway (Rt. 38), parking attendants will assist you in parking in one of the lots. There is no fee for parking for this event, and there is ample parking for the BHS graduation.
What to Bring and What NOT to Bring: NIU has a strict policy on what to bring into their stadium. You may bring: clear tote bag (must not exceed 12” x 12” by 6”) or a clutch purse (must not exceed 5.5” x 8.5” x 3”). NIU prohibits outside food and beverages, large bags or backpacks, computer bags, coolers, duffel bags, camera bags, noisemakers, balloons, signs, posters, strollers, video cameras/tripods, firearms, knives, cane umbrellas, or aerosol hair spray. Graduates should not bring valuables with them to the staging area since these items cannot be secured during the ceremony. Graduates should iron their gown prior to arrival and CARRY THE GOWN into the Convocation Center. Graduates will be allowed to put on their gowns in the staging area after they have been checked in by Batavia staff.
Honor Stoles: Students graduating with honors will wear highly visible stoles that signify their accomplishment. The stoles will be distributed during graduation practice on Tuesday, May 20th. Graduates must bring their stole to the graduation ceremony. Minimum GPA requirements are 3.5 for a red stole, 4.0 for a gold stole, and 4.375 for a white stole.
Transportation Options: We are requesting that students drive with their families to DeKalb. For your safety, we are not allowing students to drive to the ceremony together. We know that students may be distracted due to the excitement of the evening, and riding to the ceremony with other students may increase their distractions. We will have staff members in the parking lot, ensuring that this safety rule is followed. If you have transportation issues/concerns, please contact JoAnne Smith @ joanne.smith@bps101.net.
During The Ceremony
Graduation Attire at the Ceremony: Graduation from Batavia High School is celebrated at a formal ceremony. Students must wear dress clothes under their graduation gowns. Males usually wear a collared dress shirt, dress slacks, and dress shoes. Females usually wear dresses and formal shoes (flats or heels). Gym shoes, jeans, flip-flops, shorts, and other casual clothes are not allowed. If students are not properly dressed, they will not be allowed to participate in the ceremony. Graduates are not allowed to have artwork or decorations on their caps or gowns. The only acceptable items are the honor stoles and cords provided by the school.
Graduation Decorum: Graduation from high school is a source of individual joy and celebration, and the actual ceremony is a formal public gathering of friends and family. We maintain high expectations for appropriate behavior during the ceremony. These expectations will be discussed with the seniors at the graduation rehearsal. Students whose behavior is deemed inappropriate during the ceremony will be removed from the ceremony by staff. If a student is removed from the ceremony, their family will be contacted and asked to leave the Convocation Center. Guests in the audience are asked to withhold applause during the presentation of diplomas until the end of the presentation.
Diplomas: Students will be given a diploma cover during the presentation of diplomas. The official diplomas with the student’s name will be distributed after the ceremony.
Photography: BHS has arranged for professional photographs to be taken by Grad Images during the commencement ceremonies as each student receives a diploma cover. Information about purchasing these photos will be sent to the graduates from Grad Images. To assure that all graduates, their families, and friends may enjoy and view the ceremony, we ask that guests are considerate of one another and not leave their seats to take photographs – they are welcome to take additional photos from their seats. For safety purposes, guests will not be allowed to stand along the rails or in the aisles to take pictures. Grad Images is offering 20% off of your purchase of $50 or more when you register before graduation day. Visit www.gradimages.com/registration for more information.
Cell phones: BHS requests that you keep your cell phones silent throughout the ceremony.
After the Ceremony
Guests are asked to remain in their seats until all graduates and participants in the recessional have exited. Graduates will proceed back to the auxiliary gym, where they are to drop off their rental gown and obtain a ticket. After the gown has been returned, they will proceed to their original assigned table, hand in their ticket, and pick up their diploma. Graduates may keep the cap and the tassel.
Please note: This is a rental graduation gown. If you did not order your cap and gown, please call Herff Jones at 815-756-4743 or you may order from their website at www.herffjonesil.com.