West Seattle
High School
Student Family Portal
Student Life
West Seattle High School/Student Life/Class of 2023

Class of 2023

Be sure to check here for all your Class of 2023 news!

Class of 2023 Road to Graduation

Graduation is just around the corner, and we want to ensure every graduate and their loved ones are informed and prepared as these future celebrations quickly approach.

  • Cap and gown distribution
    • Tuesday May 2 at lunch (11:45-12:40)
      • National Achiever will be in-person during lunch to distribute all cap and gown packages that have been paid in full.We encourage students to have their cap and gown paid in full prior to your arrival on Tuesday but you can pay your remaining balance using cash or check.Still haven’t ordered your cap and gown? Order it now. Use the link below to get your order in. This does not guarantee your cap and gown unit will be available for pickup this Tuesday but the company promises to see what they can do to accommodate. You will however get it before graduation.
      • If finances are an issues, your graduate should reach out to their counselor immediately to access the programs we have to support.
  • Spring Fling
    • Saturday May 13 8-11pm
      • This will be the last all-school dance of the school year.Hosted in the commons and courtyard.Tickets will be $15 w/ an ASB sticker, $20 without.
      • Theme: Hoedown Throwdown
  • Talent Show
    • Thursday May 25 6:30pm
      • Seniors this is your last chance to show your peers your special talent. ASB is still looking for willing participants to join the talent pool.Open to the WSHS community and the public to attend.
      • Tickets: $7 at the door.
  • Senior Awards Night
    • Wednesday May 31 6:30pmJoin the class of 2023 as we celebrate and honor students with scholarships, department awards, and student nominated awards.
    • This event is open to all graduates and their families.
  • Prom
    • Saturday June 10 8-11pmLocation: Block 41 (115 Bell St, Seattle, WA 98121)
    • Join your peers for the last dance of your High School experience. We will have a professional DJ, professional photobooth, dessert, and drinks available.
  • Tickets are $25 with an ASB sticker, and $30 without ASB Sticker, $35 for guests
    • Starting May 1 students can purchase tickets online in SchoolPay May 29-June 2 ASB will be available for in-person ticket purchases. All ticket sales in-person and online stop on the 2. June 5-9 students who purchased their ticket only MUST pick their physical ticket up and add their names to the list. All students, regardless of online payment or in-person payment must meet in-person to get their physical ticket and get their names and guest names added to the official guest list
    • Each senior is given the opportunity to bring a guest outside of the graduating class as your date. Guests that are West Seattle underclassmen will not need a guest pass but their name must be included when purchasing a ticket. Any guest, senior or underclassmen, that doesn’t attend WS will need to complete a guest form PRIOR to purchasing their ticket.
      • Guest Pass form: Prom Guest Pass 2023.docx
  • Field Day
    • Wednesday June 14Modified schedule day. Spend the afternoon with peers enjoying live music, food trucks, and student sponsored activities.
  • Senior checkout sheets
    • Released Friday June 16
      • Due back no later than June 23
      All seniors are required to complete a senior checkout form.
    • The form will include the following items that need to be signed off
      • Materials returned to library.
        • Items include laptops, cords, textbooks, and library materials
        • Missing materials dating back to elementary school in the SPS district follow students to graduation
          • If you do have any old books from your middle school or elementary school, they can be returned to Ms. Carlson at any point before or during senior checkout
          • If you have fines from other schools, please ONLY clear/PAY them with Ms. Penner, here at WSHS, NOT at the school that issued the fine
  • When ALL materials have been returned, you will get a Library stamp indicating a clear account, NO fines, & no need to see Ms. Penner, our fiscal specialist
    • If any items are missing at this time, a fine will be issued, and you must see the fiscal specialist to pay fines before graduation
    • Fiscal Specialist signoff
      • After all fines have been paid, you will get a signature from our fiscal specialist Mrs. Penner.
      • This signature says that you have no outstanding fines
      • You can check the Source at any point to see if you have any outstanding fines.
      • Fines can be from missing material dating back to elementary school in the SPS district.
        • If you do have any old books from your middle school or elementary school, they can be returned to Ms. Carlson at any point before or during senior checkout
      • You will not be given a diploma if your fines are not paid off
    • Teacher signatures
      • Each of your assigned teachers must signoff stating that you are in good standing to pass their class.
    • Counselor signoff
      • Your last stop will be with your counselors. You must have all other signatures at this time.
      • Counselors will review your signatures, confirm that you have completed your Naviance tasks as part of your High School and Beyond Plan
      • Turning this in with your counselor gets your name added to our final list allowed in graduation practice.
  • Seniors last week in the building
    • June 20-23
      • June 19 we are off to celebrate Juneteenth
  • Yearbook Distribution Party
    • Wednesday June 21 2:30pm (after school)
      • All students who have pre-ordered a yearbook are invited to our yearbook distribution party. The yearbook class will host an after-school pickup which will include access to snacks and drinks, free sharpies, music, and plenty of space to start signing yearbooks with your peers.

There is no additional charge for this event as it is included in the price of the book.

  • ASB law prevents us from having open yearbook sales all year long. Our last sale closed during Spring break, and we are unable to open the sales again until the distribution event.
    • Thankfully we have additional copies of the yearbook reserved for seniors to purchase. To keep things fair, we will be letting families put their name on a waitlist and will sell the books that day using SchoolPay, cash, or check. The waitlist does not guarantee you a book, but we will honor the list in order of names entered until we sell out. If any additional books are available after seniors have been given a chance to purchase, we will open sales to underclassmen.
      • Yearbooks are $55
  • Laptop returns
    • Thursday June 22
      • This will be the designated day for checking back in your district issued laptop and charging cords. You will visit the library during your Language Arts class on this day.
        • If you do not have a Language Arts class or you are a running start student you can stop by the library at any point on this day to return your materials
        If you do not have your materials to turn in at this time a fine will be added to your account. *see senior checkout for next stepsIf you have any questions about laptops, reach out to Mrs. Carlson in the library cmcarlson@seattleschools.org
      • *This is when you pick your graduation tickets as well
  • Seniors last day of classes
  • Senior Breakfast
    • Monday June 26 9am
      • PTSA will be hosting a senior only breakfast in the commons prior to our graduation practice.To attend you must have your senior checkout sheet turned in to your counselors.This is a free event for seniors and will count as your attendance for the day.
  • Graduation Practice
    • Monday June 26 following the Senior breakfastAs the senior breakfast whines down we will transition from the commons to the gym for a full graduation practice.This practice is required for participation in the actual graduation.You will be able to choose who you sit with but not necessarily who you walk with during the ceremony.We will practice entering and exiting from our seats multiple times, we will do a loose run through of the ceremony practicing moments when the seniors will be involved, and we will practice name reading.There is not set run time for this practice. The more you listen and follow directions, the quicker we will get through the practice. Run time is determined by your actions.
    • One item you will have to take care of during practice is creating your name card. This card will be used to say your name properly when you receive your diploma.
      • Each student will fill out a name card with the full name you’d like read at

the ceremony.

  • You will write it as it is spelled and write it out phonetically.
    • Example:
      • Angela Ferda
      • Ann-juh-luh Fur-duh
  • Graduation
    • Tuesday June 27 5pm
      • Location: Memorial Stadium
        • 401 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109
        Expect the ceremony to last no longer than 90 minutes
      • Graduates should enter through the lower NE “tunnel” entrance and

gather at the West endzone of the stadium.

  • Graduates should be at the West endzone no later than 4:15 pm.
  • What to wear To participate in the ceremony graduates must be in the National Achiever issued cap & gown unit zipped up. You can decorate your cap and gown as you please, but it must be a school appropriate message. No curse words, drug or alcohol references, or inappropriate images If your cap is not appropriate you will have to buy a new one at the ceremony to participate in graduation. Any additional cords, stoles, and medals that were earned through scholarship, clubs, or awards are free to be worn on top of the traditional cap and gown unit Students who have been gifted cultural gear such as leis or cultural stoles are welcome to wear those on top of the gap and gown unit You will be walking one full loop around the track and the length of the football field before you take your seats. You will also walk from your seats, across the stage, and back to your seats when your name is called. After the ceremony you will be walking the length of the field and up a hill on the NW side of the stadium ending at the central fountains. Wear appropriate shoes that you can walk in Tickets for Graduation There is no cap on the number of guests that can attend per graduate. We will however be using tickets to enter the stadium for security purposes. Tickets are free and will be picked up by the students on June 22 during laptop returns in the library. Memorial Stadium is open seating, so no seats are reserved. Both sides of the stadium will be open for seating. To get an accurate number of tickets printed we encourage families to complete this request form with the number of tickets needed per graduate no later than May 19. Parking & entrance locations. There is paid parking available at the stadium, street parking in the lower Queen Anne district, as well as across the street from the stadium at the Gates Foundation. We encourage families to carpool together, drop their graduates at the tunnel entrance, and then go find parking.
  • Both the North and South sides of the stadium will be open for families and friends to enter.
    • Memorial Stadium is known for its extremely steep stairs so please keep that in mind.
    • The district has promised that there will be reserved disability seating that can be accessed from both the North and South entrances.
    • Your graduate will know what side of the stadium they are seated on after graduation practice so be sure to connect with them to know what side of the stadium is best for viewing.
  • Celebrating your graduate. Per district rules, no balloons, glitter, confetti, silly string, fog horns, banners, or loud noisemakers are permitted. Anything that impedes someone else from seeing or hearing their own graduate is not allowed. There will be no on-field celebrations or picture opportunities for graduates and families following the ceremony. Sealth is graduating shortly after our ceremony wraps up so we need to leave the space so they can prepare for their ceremony. Families and friends should use the designated exits immediately after the ceremony and plan to reunite with their graduate at the Seattle Center central fountain. A professional photographer will be working the ceremony and we will get that information on how to order prints to you as soon as it becomes available. You are welcome to bring your own cameras to capture your moments, but families must stay in the designated seating while taking photos.

Donations to the Class of 2023

  • Donations made to the class of 2023 will be used specifically by the senior ASB to help cover prom and graduation expenses, as well as other senior-specific class activities (such as Senior Sunset). Our class was unable to fundraise for all of our sophomore year and half of our junior year due to Covid restrictions, so we really appreciate the generous contributions of parents and community members towards making the end of our time together in high school as wonderful as it can possibly be!
  • Any surplus funds will be donated to the General ASB account and underclassmen.

Who do I contact?

Cap and Gown ordering

National Achiever Services: your official graduation partner

13027 Bothell Everett Hwy #A, Everett, WA 98208

425-357-1338

NationalAchiever.com

Senior Order Deadlines:

  • Cap & Gown: December 18th, 2022
    • This item is mandatory if you plan on participating in the graduation ceremony on June 27th
      • Cap & Gown Unit: $51.95
      • When putting in your personal information, add 1 inch to your height
    • If you are unable to purchase your graduation products at this time, please register your height and weight so a cap and gown can be reserved for you.  You still need to purchase or arrange payment before delivery.
    • If finances are an issue, please reach out to our fiscal specialist Maria Penner or Amy Doll as well.
    • Order your cap, gown and other senior swag
      • Order early to get your Senior Swag before winter break (if ordered)
  • Photo Announcements
  • Class Ring
    • Optional purchase
    • Design and order your class ring online at
      • Highschool.herffjones.com

Please contact National Achiever directly with questions about ordering.

Grad Supplies when ordering 2023 graduation supplies

Senior Yearbook Deadlines

Learn about Senior Yearbook Deadlines, including Senior Quote, Senior Portrait and Baby Photo, Parent Shoutout opportunity.