Graduation

Graduation practice
Monday, May 15 | 12:30 p.m. in the NDP gymnasium

Baccalaureate Mass practice 
Tuesday, May 16, | 12:30 p.m. at St. Bernard of Clairvaux

The Baccalaureate Mass will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 18, 2023. at St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church | 10755 N 124th St, Scottsdale, AZ 85259

Seniors must wear nice, church appropriate attire and their graduation gown. No graduation cap this night. Seniors arrive at 5:30 p.m. 

The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. Space is limited in our local churches, please limit guest to four per family.

Our Commencement ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. on Bemis Field. Gates open at 6 p.m.  NO Tickets required. All are welcome!

Graduates must dress up and wear both their graduation cap and gown. Caps, gowns were distributed at rehearsal.

• We ask that seniors be brought to campus and dropped off near the Chapel gate by 5:30 p.m. If a senior must drive, he/she must park in the baseball lot. The other lots will be closed. The north faculty parking lot and the junior and senior parking lots are reserved for our guests. 

Announcements were distributed in March.

Dress code for Baccalaureate and Graduation ceremony:

All graduates will wear gowns without caps for Baccalaureate Mass, and both caps and gowns for the commencement exercises.

Boys

• Dress shirts with ties and dress pants are required. No polo shirts or t-shirts
• No jeans or casual pants may be worn
• Dress shoes with dress socks are REQUIRED (no athletic shoes will be permitted)
• Boys must be clean shaven and have natural color hair in dress code compliance
•  No sunglasses or earrings may be worn

Girls

• Dresses or skirts (no more than 1 inch above the knee)
• Dresses and tops must have at least cap sleeves (no spaghetti straps or tank tops permitted unless a sweater or jacket is worn)
• All tops must have a modest neckline
• No flip flops are permitted
• No sunglasses may be worn
• Hair must be natural in color and in dress code compliance

Additional items for graduating seniors:

• No items may be worn on the outside of the gown or on the cap (ie. Pins, writing, jewelry, etc.). The only exception to this rule will be National Honor Society/Honors Thespian Sashes, Valedictorian/Salutatorian/Honors medals, and Kairos medals/leader crosses.
• No gum or food of any kind may be brought on to Bemis Field.

At graduation our seniors will receive a Notre Dame Preparatory diploma cover for the ceremony. The actual printed diploma will be available for pick up at the school the week following graduation. Congratulations to our graduates!

We have received numerous questions about handicap seating and parking at our graduation ceremony.

Seating

• We will have plenty of seating on the track for those with mobility issues.
• There is a ramp leading up to the seats in the stadium for those who are more mobile and would like to be higher up for better viewing.  
• All seating is first come-first-served except for our reserved VIP seats. 

Parking

• We have a limited number of handicapped parking spaces near the stadium.
• If that lot is full, there will be a drop off place for family members with mobility issues. Just inform the security guard that you are only dropping off and then proceed to another parking lot to park.