Spring Semester Senior Dashboard

Cap and Gown Ordering

Seniors ordered their Cap & Gown in October 2023. The cost was included in the senior fees, so they have already been paid for. (You can check that off your list!) If a student earns a National Honor Society Cord, they may be charged an additional $10 fee from NHS. 

• Create a non-BK email account (if you don’t already have one)

Things to do in March/April:

• Go to your College Board account and switch your email to a non-BK account
• Go to your ACT account and switch your email to a non-BK account
• Double check all college or university accounts – Colleges typically email letters to you through their organizational account. Make sure you follow all instructions that have been sent to you by the colleges for setting up these accounts. Please check these accounts regularly for information about admissions, financial aid, housing and more.
• Keep your accounts and passwords in a safe location and share with an adult
• Open your BK Drive – copy or share important papers, letters, and other information you would like to save. Share with your new email account.
• Take time to clean up your computer. Organize your files and save what needs to be saved
• Check your spam or junk folders for correspondence from colleges.

Ms. Klover, our College and Career Counselor, is available to help all students and parents. If you and/or your student would like help with the college application process, or you have specific questions, please contact her at jklover@bk.org. 

Senior Visits with our Counseling Team
Counselors have been busy meeting with each senior individually. All seniors should have met with their counselor by the end of first semester. 

College Visits

The best way to learn more about a school is to visit their campus. Bishop Kelly allows Juniors and Seniors up to three excused College Visit absences so they can check out a campus.

Please take this College Visit Validation Form with you on your visit, and fill it out with your college representative.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application window opened January 1, 2024 for current seniors  planning on attending post secondary education opportunities in the fall of 2024. Some aid is based on a first come first served basis so we encourage you to complete the FAFSA early.

The head of household filing taxes as well as the student applying for Federal Student Aid both need an individual FSA ID prior to completing the FAFSA . For more information about the FAFSA refer to this guide How to apply for FAFSA and Federal Student Aid: Everything You Need to Know or contact Ms. Klover, our College and Career Counselor. Some schools also require the CSS Profile as a part of their financial aid application. This allows the colleges to look at other information that is not available on the FAFSA in an effort to obtain the best financial aid package for your student. Use this link to determine if the school you are applying to requires the CSS profile.

Our AP coordinator is Julie Klover. Students are automatically registered for their AP exams when they join their courses online through the College Board. Students have until October 14th to opt out of the exam without penalty. After that date, the College Board has reinstated a $40 change fee. 

2024 AP Exam Dates

• Only ticketed guests will be admitted into the premium seats.
• Unticketed guests are welcome to sit in General Admission seating on a first come first served basis.
• Graduates will receive their paper tickets with their Cap and Gown at the MANDATORY Graduation practice on Thursday 5/23 at 12:15pm.
• Skinny heels are NOT permitted on the turf. Please wear a chunky or wedge heel if you plan on walking on the turf at any point throughout the evening.

Thursday, May 23rd

12:15 PM – 1:45 PM: REQUIRED Graduation Practice for Seniors. Seniors meet in the Carley Center at 12:15 PM

Lunch for the Class of 2024 will be provided by the Bishop Kelly Alumknights

1:45 PM – Cap and Gown Distribution

5:45 PM: Campus Ministers report to St. Mark’s for Baccalaureate Mass

6:30 PM: Baccalaureate Mass at St. Mark’s Catholic Church, Graduates will sit with their immediate families in the pews.
Please arrive by 6:15 PM.

Please Read the Section on Attire for Baccalaureate and Graduation

Friday, May 26th

6:00 PM (SHARP): ALL Seniors report to the Carley Center. Gates will be open for guests to take their seats at 6:00 PM as well.

Please read the section on Attire for Baccalaureate and Graduation!

6:45 PM: Families should be in their seats. Graduate Procession will begin with “Ohh Ahh BK” at 6:50 PM

7:00 PM: Ceremony Begins

Please do not take more than 2 programs per graduate at the entrance gate. Each graduate will have an additional program on their seat at graduation.

• Each graduate in the Class of 2024 will receive 10 tickets for family to attend graduation in premium seats at Nick Ysursa Field. These premium seats will be on the turf, and in the center bleachers. These premium seats ensure that the families of our 2024 graduates have the best sight lines to the stage.
• Only guests with tickets will be allowed in the premium seats.
• Unticketed Guests are welcome to sit in General Admission Seating, located on each end of the bleachers, on a first come first served basis.
• Graduates will receive 10 paper tickets at the MANDATORY Graduation Practice on Thursday, May 23rd at 12:15 PM.
• Graduates will also receive their Cap & Gown at the MANDATORY Graduation Practice on Thursday, May 23rd at 12:15 PM (You have already ordered and paid for this as part of your start of the school year fees.)
• Skinny heels are NOT permitted on the turf. If you plan to walk on the turf (at any time), please wear chunky or wedge heels.
• We will have golf carts in the parking lot on Graduation day to assist anyone who needs help getting from their car to the stadium.
• There will be overflow parking at The Children’s Therapy Place, east of the Varsity Softball field.

Student Attire for Baccalaureate Mass

Sunday best (no gown)
Gentlemen: Shirt, tie, dress pants and dress shoes
Ladies: Skirts/dresses, Mass dress or slacks and dress shoes

Student Attire for Graduation

Dress: Wear cap, gown, hood and cords
Gentlemen: Shirt, tie, dress pants and dress shoes
Ladies: Skirts/dresses, Mass dress or slacks and dress shoes (Skinny heels are NOT permitted on the turf. Please wear chunky or wedge heels. If you wear skinny heels, you will be asked to remove them before entering the turf.)

• The hood crest is in front as shown.  There is a small white collar in the bag, we do not use it. 
• Cords earned will be in the Cap & Gown bag, if there are questions, contact Ms. Nichols.
  • **Summa Cum Laude – graduation with highest honors, attaining a weighted GPA of 4.0 or greater. This honor is recognized by a GOLD cord
  • *Magna Cum Laude – graduation with great honor, attaining a weighted GPA of 3.75 or greater. This honor is recognized by a WHITE cord
  • Membership in the National Honor Society is indicated by students wearing BLUE and GOLD intertwined cord (there may be an additional charge for the NHS cord)
• Take the gown out of the bag and hang it up overnight or for a few hours before wearing it. 
• Students have already ordered their cap and gown, and the cost was included in Senior Fees paid last fall.

Students may decorate their graduation caps indicating the college/university, branch of military they will be attending, or other approved designation.  Decorated hats must be appropriate and may be replaced at the discretion of administration.