When: June 6, 2025 at 6:00 pm 

Where: Elon University Alumni Gym (Directions via Google Maps) 

Students with Guests with Mobility Concerns: Please complete the Special Needs Accessible Seating for Graduation Form prior to Monday, June 2, 2025. Guests that require special seating must arrive by 5:40 pm via the side door facing Williamson Avenue.

Tickets: At this time each senior will be allowed 6 tickets for guests. Tickets will be issued at the end of graduation practice for each participating senior to distribute to his or her guests.  In order to receive your tickets, you MUST have completed the senior survey. 

Proper Dress (Required): Participating students must be properly attired in academic cap and gown.  We expect all students to consider this an important event and to dress appropriately. Men are required to wear dress shoes, long dress pants, white shirts and dark ties. Ladies must wear dress shoes(black, navy, brown or nude) and dresses should not hang from under the gown.  Athletic shoes are not appropriate. Dress sandals need a strap around the heel. The only ornamentation/decoration that is allowed will be a student's earned academic cords and medals.  Graduation caps cannot be decorated. All students will wear white tassels. 

Pictures: A professional photographer will take a picture of each student as he receives his diploma. Each senior will be able to view a proof on the photographer’s website from which an order may be placed.  No one will be allowed to come down to the stage to take pictures at Elon University. Please notify your guests of this ruling. To order pictures, please enter the code provided in this flyer (Spanish) on Strawbridge's website. 

Practice (Required): Practice for Graduation on Friday, June 6 at 9:45 am.   Attendance at practice is mandatory if you plan to participate on Friday evening. Do not make other appointments during practice time. If there is an extenuating circumstance, call the school office at (336) 538-6020, so you may be in contact with Mr. Bryant  about your situation. This is not a dress rehearsal so appropriate clothing is regular school clothes.

The only reserved lot that will not be available for guests will be the Koury/Fine Arts Lot, which is reserved for those that requested special seating.  All other Elon lots are available.  Do not park in an accessible spot unless you have a placard and do not park in any space with a yellow curb.   

Senior Breakfast & Rehearsal – use Oaks lot across Williamson from Koury Athletic Center/Alumni Gym. Do NOT park at Skids or Pantry. 

Click here to see an aerial map. 

When: May 28, 2025 at 9:30 am

Where: WAHS Auditorium 

Seniors should wear caps & gowns to the Senior Awards Day program on May 28, 2025 at 9:30 am (WAHS Auditorium). Seniors should report to the gym at 8:45 to prepare for awards day. Be careful not to lose your tassel, etc. We expect all students to consider this an important event and to dress appropriately. Shorts and flip-flops are not appropriate. Parents/Guardians and family members are welcome to attend Senior Awards Day- no tickets are needed for this event. In order to prepare for Senior Awards Day, we are asking students to complete the Awards Day Recognition form by May 20th. This form must be completed by May 20th to guarantee Awards Day recognition, if applicable. Late forms will be considered but have no such guarantee. If you have any questions regarding the form, please contact Ms. Oney in the counseling office. Failure to complete the form by May 20th will result in the potential inability to recognize seniors at the Awards program for scholarships and grants they may have been awarded.

In preparation for returning to your former elementary schools one last time as an ABSS student please fill out this form before May 13, 2025.

Date: May 20, 2025

Locations: AO, Elon, Highland

Time: Leaving WAHS at 1:15 pm, arriving at 1:30 pm

If you did not attend one of the elementary schools listed above, you may attend an event at another ABSS elementary school; however, transportation will not be provided. 

All seniors must complete the 2024-2025 Senior Exit Survey. Students are asked to indicate what their plans are after high school and about their high school experience. The Senior Exit Survey is a required task for all ABSS seniors and needs to be completed by April 11th. This survey must be completed in order for seniors to receive tickets for graduation at graduation practice. If you have any questions regarding the survey, please reach out to Ms. Oney in the counseling office. Please complete the 2024-2025 Senior Survey by clicking this link.

Senior Breakfast is sponsored by Senior Parents for Seniors ONLY

When: Friday, June 6, 2025 at 8:00 am

Where: Elon Community Church (Directions via Google Maps)

    271 N Williamson Ave

    Elon, NC 27244

Parking: Use Oaks lot across Williamson from Koury Athletic Center/Alumni Gym. Do NOT park at Skids or Pantry. 

Slideshow: Click here to submit pictures for this year's Senior Slideshow. 

Information to follow.

Contact: 

Herff Jones, Inc. - NC Graduate Services  

1031 Chapel Hill Road

 Burlington,  NC  27215 

 Office:  336.228.7770

 Toll Free:  1.844.714.4723 Fax:  336.228.8115

 E-mail:  ncgraduateservic@bellsouth.net

TO ALL SENIORS AND THEIR PARENTS/GUARDIANS:

Please follow the guidelines below in order for the graduation ceremony to be a dignified academic event.  Your cooperation is requested to make graduation a pleasant experience for all.

1.  Graduation - The graduation ceremony will be held in the Koury Center on the campus of Elon University on Friday, June 6 at 6:00 p.m. At this time, each senior will be allowed six (6) tickets for guests.  Due to fire codes, regardless of age, a ticket is required. Tickets will be issued at the end of graduation practice to each senior to distribute to his or her guests. These must be presented at the door of the Alumni Gymnasium in Koury Center. The doors will open at 5:00 pm.  Seniors are to meet in their designated place at 5:15 on June 6.  Proper dress is required (See #4). This is a dignified, formal academic event and not a festive celebration.  Bubbles, balloons, confetti, etc. will not be part of your graduation ceremony. Students will be billed after the event should any fees be incurred.   If a student chooses not to receive their diploma at the graduation ceremony, it may be picked up at the front office at WAHS on or after June 9 during school office hours.  Parking information will be posted on-line.

2.  Requirements - To participate in graduation, a student must have completed all requirements. Those who must attend summer school will not be able to participate. Please take care of all financial obligations to the school by May 30. Tickets will be held until obligations are met. Please remember that you are under the rules and regulations of Western High School and Alamance-Burlington Schools until you exit the Elon University campus on the evening of June 6. All rules will be enforced even if it causes a student to miss graduation by virtue of being suspended during practice or on the day of Graduation. BE CAREFUL!

3.  Practice - Attendance at practice is mandatory if you plan to participate.  At the conclusion of practice, students with speaking parts should plan to stay after practice to rehearse. Do not make other appointments during practice time.  If there is an extenuating circumstance, call the school office (336-538-6020) so you may be in contact with Mr. Bryant about your situation.  This is not a dress rehearsal so appropriate clothing is regular school clothes.  Practice for Graduation will be Friday, June 6 immediately following the Senior Breakfast (about 9:45). Attendance at practice is mandatory if you plan to participate on Friday evening. Seniors will be advised as to where to park for practice so they will not receive a ticket or be towed. Do NOT park at SKIDS or the gas station beside it.

4.  Proper Dress - Participating students must be properly attired in academic cap and gown.  We expect all students to consider this an important event and to dress appropriately. Men are expected to wear dress shoes, long dress pants, white shirts and dark ties. Ladies should wear dark or nude dress shoes and dresses should not hang from under the gown. Athletic shoes are not appropriate. Shoes that flop and/or have a strap between the toes are not appropriate. Dress sandals need a strap around the heel. The only ornamentation/decoration that is allowed will be earned cords/medals approved by ABSS.  Caps are not allowed to be decorated for graduation.  All students will wear white tassels.

5.  Guests - Cooperation is requested in striving to make the graduation ceremony a dignified academic event.  These exercises are not an appropriate place for babies or small children.  Cell phones should be turned off -- even on vibrate, they can interfere with the sound system. Guests are not allowed to hold seats. Guests who must leave their seat during the ceremony may be held at the door until there is an appropriate reentry time.

6.  Guests Requiring “Handicapped/Special Needs Accessible" Seating - If you have guests who will require handicapped seating for Graduation, please fill out the Special Needs Seating form on the Senior Graduation Information page on the school website and submit the google form by Monday, June 2nd. These guests need to arrive by 5:30 and will be issued special tickets, even if they are in wheelchairs.  If a form is not turned in, then Special Needs seating will not be accommodated.

7.  Pictures - A professional photographer will take a picture of graduates as their diplomas are received. The online gallery code for the graduation pictures will be on www.strawbridge.net.  Pictures should be available to view by Wednesday, June 11.  Use the code FM478071.  No one will be allowed to come down front to take a snapshot.  This decision has been made so that all parents and guests may see the event without obstruction. Please notify your guests of this ruling. 

8.  Awards Program - Seniors should wear caps & gowns to the Senior Awards Day program on May 28, 2025 at 9:30 am (WAHS Auditorium).  Seniors should report to the gym at 8:45 to prepare for awards day. Be careful not to lose your tassel, etc. We expect all students to consider this an important event and to dress appropriately. Shorts and flip-flops are not appropriate.  Parents/Guardians and family members are welcome to attend Senior Awards Day- no tickets are needed for this event. In order to prepare for Senior Awards Day, we are asking students to complete the Awards Day Recognition form by May 20th.  This form must be completed by May 20th to guarantee Awards Day recognition, if applicable. Late forms will be considered but have no such guarantee.   If you have any questions regarding the form, please contact Mrs. Cotton in the counseling office.  Failure to complete the form by May 20th will result in the potential inability to recognize seniors at the Awards program for scholarships and grants they may have been awarded.  Please complete the Awards Day Recognition form by clicking this link.

9.  Senior Survey  – All seniors must complete the 2024-2025 Senior Exit Survey. Students are asked to indicate what their plans are after high school and about their high school experience.  The Senior Exit Survey is a required task for all ABSS seniors. This survey must be completed in order for seniors to receive tickets for graduation at graduation practice. If you have any questions regarding the survey, please reach out to Ms. Oney in the counseling office.

Please complete the 2024-25 Senior Survey by clicking this link. 

11.  Senior Breakfast - The Senior Breakfast, sponsored by senior parents, is June 6, 2025 at 8:15 am at Elon Community Church Gym, 271 N. Williamson Ave, Elon, NC. This breakfast is for 2025 graduates only and is free, but donations are appreciated.  

Questions?   Contact Mrs. Stuart at angela_stuart@abss.k12.nc.us or leave a message for her at school.

LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE GRADUATION 2025 A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY!