Graduation, senior events set for early May as seniors approach final stretch

The arrival of the fourth quarter means the beginning of the end for seniors who have been battling senioritis. However, the light at the end of the tunnel is starting to come in focus. In just five and a half weeks, the school’s first-ever graduating class, the Class of 2025, will march down the red carpet to “Pomp and Circumstance.”
Graduation will be held on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, at Liberty First Credit Union Arena at 6 p.m., following Gretna High’s graduation, which will be at 2 p.m. The ceremonies are set a week earlier than previous Gretna Public Schools graduation ceremonies.
“Both schools are going to have their ceremony on the same day because that’s the only day we could rent it that works, so it’s a week earlier this year,” principal Chad Jepsen said. “Every year, it’ll rotate.”
The last full school day for seniors will be Thursday, May 8. Rehearsal for the Gretna East graduation ceremony will be held the next day, May 9, at 8 a.m. in the main gymnasium. Following rehearsal, seniors who do not have any incomplete assignments and have officially passed their classes will then be able to pick up their caps, gowns and cords of recognition. Students who have not finished their work by that time will be required to attend an AI day with administrators before collecting theirs.
Additionally, seniors will not be required to come back during finals week, May 21-23, when ninth through eleventh graders take their final exams. Senior teachers will communicate with each of their classes about end-of-the-year summative assessments.
“Because graduation is a week earlier [than in years past], everybody’s gonna have to get done a little before May 8,” Jepsen said. “Every teacher gets to decide how they want to finish up and when they’re going to give their final test.”
In addition to the actual graduation ceremony, there will be other events to celebrate the occasion. For example Student Council will host Senior Sunrise, a celebration that will be held in the school’s southwest parking lot, closest to the music wing of the

building. The event will run from 7:15  a.m. until 7:50 a.m., just before the school day begins. Seniors will be able to take photos, enjoy drinks from The Beanery and a group photo at 7:45 a.m., in front of the west common doors as the sun rises. Student Council would like seniors to wear their college or Griffin gear.
“I hope seniors take away how loved and appreciated they are,” Student Council sponsor Sierra Arnold said. “I hope it leaves everybody with that lasting memory of the high school experience.”
With a little over a month remaining before these celebrations, administrators caution students to not let senioritis get in the way of their success.
“The biggest challenge is just making sure we get seniors done with everything because if you’re not in good standing, you can’t walk, and that’s not a threat,” Jepsen said. “We want everybody to walk, there’s just a lot going on in the spring. It’s so busy for kids and teachers, so it’s just kind of a mad dash at the finish to try and get everything done.”