This page contains information important to seniors during their final year of high school. It will be updated throughout the year.
Senior Letter to Families
Posted April 26th
As we move into April, near the end of the school year, and approach the many culminating events for seniors we want to communicate important information to you. We want to honor the Class of 2022 in the best way, and this letter includes important dates and information about how we plan to do that. Please read this letter carefully and refer to it as we move through the spring. We will also continue to post reminders and updates on the Jefferson Web Page. Just click on the Seniors Link at the top of the page.
Academic Progress Toward Graduation
- Midterm grades were completed on March 29. Parents have a progress report included if their student currently has a D or F in any class. Please check your student’s most recent progress report and current grades in Infinite Campus. If teachers and counselors are contacting you, make sure you open all email, US mail, voicemail, etc. Additionally, contact your student’s teachers if you sense a problem or are unclear about their grade. Progress reports are emailed weekly during the term. You may also call your child’s counselor. In general, counsel your student against any letdown in effort or achievement during these last weeks. Attendance in every class is critical!
- CPR is required for graduation. If you have not met your CPR requirement for graduation, contact your counselor immediately.
- In order for seniors to have their name listed in the graduation program they must be passing the required graduation classes by Monday, May 6. Seniors must be passing the required graduation classes after their last day of classes on Wednesday, May 22 to participate in the ceremony. Seniors that have not met graduation requirements may remain at school until Thursday, June 8 to earn their 2024 diploma, but they will not participate in the graduation ceremony.
Senior Recognition
- Senior Recognition is Sunday, May 5 at 1:00 p.m. in the East Gym. Many members of the class will be honored with awards and/or scholarships that evening. A letter will be sent to the parent/guardian of each senior being honored. A list of all students being recognized will also be posted on the Main Office window.
Senior Assembly
- Senior Assembly is Monday, May 6th at 7:50 a.m. in the East Gym. Seniors are to arrive at 7:30 am with their cap, gown, and any medals that they received at Senior Recognition.
Senior Prom
- Senior class representatives, Jefferson faculty, and the PTSA are excited to announce that Senior Prom is Saturday, April 27, 2024. Jefferson seniors are allowed to bring one guest and they must be a Jefferson student or a student outside of Jefferson who is 19 or younger. The only exceptions will be 20 year olds that are previous Jefferson graduates, who graduated in good standing. All guests who are not Jefferson students must be approved by Ms. Luna by Friday, April 19. If you are bringing a guest who is not a Jefferson student, you must plan to retrieve paperwork from the Main Office. Student IDs and/or Drivers Licenses must be presented at the door. Students should arrange for transportation at the conclusion of each event, all venues should be cleared within 15 minutes. The overview of the evening is listed below:
| Grand March–Jefferson High School Auditorium 3:00 pm – Students arrive at Jefferson Auditorium 3:20 pm – Students line-up and gates are open for family members. 3:30 pm – Event begins – students are announced in front of the crowd in order of their arrival time. Pictures will be taken by Read Photography while students wait in line to be announced. 4:40 pm – Gates close and students will no longer be admitted to be announced. 5:00 pm – Event ends – Students must arrange transportation and be off campus within 15 minutes of the event ending. OPEN time (5:00-7:00 pm) for seniors to accommodate Dinner Plans, Family Photos, etc. Prom–The Olympic Southside Theater (1202 3rd St SE #200, Cedar Rapids, IA 52401)7:00-10:00 pm – Dance – Students must arrange transportation home within 15 minutes of the event ending. Post-Prom – May City Bowl 11:00 pm – The doors open. There will be free bowling, free video games, Karaoke, taco bar, ice cream bar, and lots of prizes. 2:00 am – The event ends – Students must arrange for transportation home within 15 minutes of the event ending. |
Preparing for Graduation
- Caps and gowns, in addition to any invitations and announcements that were ordered, will be distributed Thursday, April 4. If you have NOT ordered your cap and gown, you must order online at www.highschool.herffjones.com or contact the Herff Jones office at 319-239-3487.
- Seniors last scheduled day of class is Wednesday, May 22. All of the usual attendance requirements are in effect until this day. Please help us assure that seniors are in class each scheduled day. After May 23rd, seniors may stop in to pay a fee or return a book, for example, but they are not to be in the building to visit teachers or to see their friends who are still in school.
Graduation Ceremony
- Rehearsal for the graduation ceremony will be held in the Alliant Energy Powerhouse, formerly known as US Cellular Center, on Friday, May 24 at 9:30 am. Seniors do NOT need to wear their cap and gown. THIS PRACTICE EVENT IS REQUIRED.
- Commencement is at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, May 25 in the Alliant Energy Powerhouse. The doors open at 6:00 p.m. and seniors must arrive by 6:30 p.m.
- Clothing, including shoes, worn under graduation gowns must be dressy. Generally speaking this means women should wear skirts/slacks and blouses or dresses and men should wear a nice shirt with dress pants. Denim jeans and athletic shoes are too casual and should not be worn. Graduates must climb stairs to reach and depart the stage so wear appropriate shoes. Corsages should not be worn and purses, cell phones, and cameras must be left with parents or friends prior to the ceremony. Graduates will not carry anything during the ceremony until they are handed their diploma cover on stage. Graduates cannot decorate their cap or gown. Graduates will keep their cap and gown after the ceremony.
- Seniors will be given their diplomas after the ceremony. More specific directions on picking up one’s diploma will be provided at graduation rehearsal.
- The graduation ceremony is a formal educational event, and graduates have always conducted themselves in a responsible, adult manner. We want this tradition to continue. Please join us in discouraging any activities that would reflect negatively on our graduates and Jefferson High School. No noise makers are to be used as the names are being read; families of those students would not be able to hear the name being called.
- Family and friends will not be allowed on the event floor before, during, or after the ceremony. A professional photographer will take individual pictures of graduates after they cross the stage. Read Photography will send a letter with the details about purchasing pictures. Also, the commencement ceremony will be televised live on KCRG 9.2 if you want to record it.
Official Transcripts
15. Students who have already applied to a post-high school training program, college, or university have probably requested a preliminary transcript. After all of the graduates’ records are completed (about June 15), the final transcript will be sent as needed upon request of the graduate. Seniors will be able to request final transcripts at graduation rehearsal on May 24th. Admission applications usually will NOT be finalized until this transcript has been received.
Settling Financial Obligations
- All financial obligations with the school must be settled with the bookkeeper by Thursday, May 23. Failure to complete all such obligations will result in the account being referred to a collection agency. In order to avoid this problem, make arrangements with the bookkeeper immediately at 319-558-2435 option 8, if you cannot settle the obligation by Thursday, May 23. Money owed to the athletic or music departments, parking tickets, textbooks, library books and fines, and other fees for which your child is responsible—for this and all previous years at Jefferson High school–must be paid by May 23. An updated financial statement for your child will be mailed the first part of May. Other financial obligations can occur after the above date such as unreturned books, tickets, etc.
Making Good Decisions
- Finally, we offer a note of caution about potentially dangerous activities that may occur at the end of the year. Unfortunately, students are likely to be confronted with very difficult decisions in these next several weeks. There will be parties at hotels, in parks, or at homes where there is no adult supervision. Some of these gatherings may include the use of alcohol or other controlled substances. Making responsible decisions in these situations will be challenging for every young person involved. The school has zero responsibility for such proceedings, of course, but our faculty members want the best possible end-of-year experience for the members of the Class of 2024. We know that making such decisions is not new to these students—they have been facing similar challenges throughout high school. However, the prom and graduation seasons are unique for many reasons. We do not want car accidents, arrests, suspensions, or other upsetting occurrences to spoil the last weeks of a four-year experience at Jefferson. Therefore, we hope you will talk openly as a family about how you wish to respond to the many possibilities your student may encounter. Make practical decisions in advance that are consistent with your family’s values. We urge care, caution, and communication throughout the prom and graduation season.
Thank you for your continued support of Jefferson High School. Working with your children has been an absolute honor for our faculty and staff. This class has experienced tremendous success and we realize the critical roles that parents and guardians play in those achievements. For that we offer our appreciation and congratulations.\
Important Senior Dates Recap
Updated April 26th
| Date(s) | Event |
|---|---|
| Saturday, April 27th | Prom — 7:00 to 10:00 pm |
| Sunday, May 5th | Senior Recognition — 1:00 pm |
| Monday, May 6th | Senior Assembly — 7:30 am report time for Seniors |
| Wednesday, May 22nd | Final Day of Classes for Seniors Last time to turn in CPR graduation requirement |
| Thursday, May 23rd | Financial obligations settled |
| Friday, May 24th | Graduation rehearsal (cap and gown NOT worn) |
| Saturday, May 25th | Jefferson Commencement Ceremony — 6:30 pm arrival |
| Friday, June 14 (approximately) | Final transcripts mailed home |
Cap and Gown
Posted January 4th
Students must have a cap and gown to participate in the graduation ceremony. You can borrow one from a friend or sibling or you can order one from HerffJones. Please do not use other vendors, as the colors might not match. Order forms can be picked up from the Main Office or you can order online. Click the button below for the link. Make sure to choose Thomas Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids. Please order by early January 2024 to avoid rush shipping fees. Herff Jones also has additional senior items for optional purchase including class rings, t-shirts and hoodies, announcements, and more.
Senior Pictures/Yearbook
Posted January 4th
Each year, seniors are invited to submit their senior picture for the yearbook. These can be, but do not have to be professional photographs. If you are having professional photos taken, they can submit the photo for you. If you take the photo yourself, please no selfies and do not edit it before submitting. The yearbook staff also has a studio where they can take your photos. The deadline for submitting your photo is March 24. Please fill out the form in order to submit your senior picture.
Seniors are also invited to submit an appropriate Senior Quote. Be watching for your opportunity to do this.
To purchase a yearbook, click on this link, and in the search box, type in “Jefferson Cedar Rapids”. If it doesn’t automatically go to the Jefferson yearbook. Yearbooks must be purchased by mid-May, and if you order before mid-October, there is usually a discount. Yearbooks will be distributed in September/October of the following school year. This allows us to include spring sports in the book.
Yearbook Senior Ads can be purchased to commemorate student achievements and important milestones. Revenues from ads help our school create a better yearbook. Ad sales are handled by Jostens, the publisher of the yearbook so all questions and content should be sent to them. Click below to purchase an ad from Jostens. Choose your ad size and layout, enter your text, and upload your photos. Easy!
CPR
Posted January 4th
The Healthy Kids Act requires that every high school student receive CPR training by a certified instructor prior to graduation. We offer several opportunities to complete this requirement and dates will be communicated through the daily announcements. This is not a complete CPR course and no certificate will be given.
Outside CPR courses taken can fulfill this requirement. Bring your certificate to the Counseling Office and they will update your record. If you do not take the course at Jefferson, you must arrange to take an outside course to fulfil this requirement.
To check if you have completed this requirement, log on to your Infinite Campus account. Click on Documents. Under “Other” click on Academic Progress. Click on Academic Plan then generate a report. Your status will be at the bottom right.
ACT-Provided Sessions About College Admission
Posted Aug 17
It’s never too soon to start planning! Click this link for more information about a session offered by ACT that will help walk you through the college admissions process.