Hats-off to grads: Commencement season begins
June is the month for roses and high school graduations, unless of course one attends Chartiers Valley, then commencement occurs May 31. All other Almanac school districts, including Bethel Park, Mt. Lebanon, Peters Township, South Fayette and Upper St. Clair, will feature festivities the first week of June.
USC combines baccalaureate with commencement ceremonies on Thursday, June 8. The baccalaureate, for graduating seniors only, will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the theater. Commencement follows at 7 p.m. in the stadium. The graduation ceremony will be live-streamed at uscsd.tv or on YouTube for those unable to attend in person.
In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be relocated to the gymnasium and seating will be limited. A determination will be made by 6:15 p.m. regarding changes and communicated via the district’s website, social media and automated calls to senior families.
Additional climate-controlled seating will be available in the high school large group instruction (LGI) room and theater, where friends and family can watch a live video feed of the ceremony. The theater and LGI will be an option whether graduation is held inside or outside.
Complimentary shuttle bus service will run from the parking lots at the Upper St. Clair Township building and the public works building, located at the bottom of Truxton Drive beginning at 5 p.m. Parking will not be available at the lot adjacent to Westminster Church because the farmers’ market is held Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m.
Every effort will be made to hold the ceremony in the stadium and it will be moved indoors as a last resort.
For more information or questions regarding commencement, contact activities director Brooke-Tarcson at 412-833-1600, ext. 2264, or email btarcson@uscsd.k12.pa.us.
The 95th South Fayette High School commencement will take place at 7 p.m. June 8 in the stadium. June 9 and June 10 have been identified as rain dates.
High school educator Brandon Flannery will deliver the keynote address to the Class of 2023. Graduates Himanish Kolli, Gaiatri Potdar, and Mohammad Shedeed will be this year’s student speakers. Additionally, the top 10 ranked graduates will be recognized.
The commencement ceremony will be live-streamed. Visit southfayette.org for a link to the livestream as well as further details about the event.
Peters Township graduates 294 students in the Class of 2023.
Alexa Bliss Plummer is the student speaker at commencement set for 7 p.m. June 9 at Confluence Financial Partners Stadium. Courtney Daloia will address the students on behalf of the teachers.
Peters Township recognizes students with a 5.0 GPA or better. In addition, the school district will acknowledge members of the Class of 1973 or 50-year grads during the ceremony.
Mt. Lebanon will hold commencement exercises at 7 p.m. June 6 in the stadium. Rain date is June 7. If there is rain on the that date, festivities will be moved indoors.
Bethel Park will conduct commencement ceremonies at 7 p.m. June 8 in the stadium. Rain date is June 9.
Carter Kicinski will be recognized as valedictorian while Mira Weston will be honored as the salutatorian. Senior class president Colin Fink will deliver remarks. Principal Joseph Villani is the military speaker.
The Chartiers Valley commencement is set for 7 p.m. May 31 in the high school stadium. The ceremony will move indoors if there is rain.
The Class of 2023 includes 260 graduates and the ceremony will include class speakers, performances from student musicians and, of course, the awarding of diplomas.