Graduation schedule will be hectic
Graduation - the moment that hundreds of high school seniors have been working toward - finally comes to the Flathead Valley in a couple weeks.
Graduation - the moment that hundreds of high school seniors have been working toward - finally comes to the Flathead Valley in a couple weeks.
In a spate of ceremonies June 3, 4 and 6, high school officials will confer diplomas on students and launch them into the post-secondary world.
Home-schooling parents will lead off the graduation season a week earlier.
Flathead Valley Home Educators will hold a graduation ceremony for their children at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 28, in New Covenant Fellowship. The church is on Birch Grove Road just west of Costco.
Public school ceremonies begin with Laser School's graduation. The Kalispell alternative high school will graduate its seniors at 11 a.m. Friday, June 3, in the school gym.
Later June 3, Stillwater Christian School seniors take the stage. The ceremony that is part baccalaureate, part commencement starts at 6:30 p.m. in the school gym.
The four large public school graduation ceremonies are planned for Saturday, June 4.:
-Columbia Falls seniors are slated to go through graduation exercises at 11 a.m. in the high school gym.
-Ceremonies in both Whitefish and Bigfork will be held at 1 p.m. in the gyms at the respective high schools.
In addition, Whitefish students are planning a voluntary baccalaureate ceremony the night before. Baccalaureate will be at 7 p.m. June 3 in the Central School auditorium.
. Flathead High School graduation ceremonies are scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, June 4, in Majestic Valley Arena on U.S. 93 north of Kalispell. Baccalaureate is planned earlier in the day for those who want to attend. It will be at 10 a.m. in the high school auditorium.
Seniors who earned their graduation credits through District 5's Bridge Academy will wrap up the local graduation season with their commencement program at 7 p.m. June 6 in the WestCoast Outlaw Hotel.
Flathead High School is in its third year of holding graduation at Majestic Valley Arena, and continues refining its process to ease traffic congestion on the highway before and after the ceremony.
The school will provide shuttle buses to and from the arena. Park your own car in the school parking lot, then board the bus in front of the flagpole. The first bus leaves at 1:15 p.m., to arrive when arena doors open at 1:30 p.m.
Eight buses will run continuously until the start of the ceremony at 3 p.m. Return shuttle service will run continuously immediately after the ceremony. Drop-off and pick-up at the arena will be near the front door.
A senior barbecue at Majestic Valley will help bring out some of the crowd early, cutting last-minute traffic a bit.
From 11:30 to 1:30 p.m., the Majestic will serve smoked pork, barbecued chicken, potato salad, baked beans, rolls and beverages. It costs $8 for adults and $6 for children under 12. Tickets are available at the school office.
Doors to the Majestic will open a half-hour earlier for those attending the barbecue, at 1 p.m.
The school and local law enforcement officials also are suggesting alternative driving routes to the graduation to help calm down traffic snarls.
Drivers are asked to take Whitefish Stage Road out of Kalispell, then turn west on Schrade Road to connect with U.S. 93 and take a short jog south to the Majestic.
Or take North Meridian Road out of Kalispell, turn west on Three Mile Drive over to Stillwater Road, and follow that north to Church Drive. From Church Drive, there is a secondary entry to the Majestic on the south side of the property.
Reporter Nancy Kimball may be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com