Seniors

Senior Year at Marist School

There are many opportunities and responsibilities pertaining to seniors at Marist School, from senior photographs through events leading up to and including Graduation. This guide contains information about the various requirements, deadlines, events, and activities associated with the seniors. In addition, detailed information is sent to seniors and their parents throughout the senior year.
 
Reading this guide and the other information sent during the year, as well as observing the various practices and deadlines, will allow seniors to enjoy and get the most from their final year at Marist.

Guide for Seniors and Families

List of 13 items.

  • Service Requirements

    As part of the school’s overall service expectations, seniors are required to volunteer 12 hours of their time in “direct service to the poor.” They are strongly encouraged to perform this service during the summer preceding their senior year, so that it is complete before the rush of final exams and is not lost among their many other commitments.
     
    For clarification on “direct service to the poor,” students should consult with Campus Ministry. Students are required to have the Community Service Verification form signed by the charitable agency, affirming that the volunteer work has been completed. Students return the form to Campus Ministry.
     
    Students will record their service hours in MobileServe. They are responsible to obtain verification from the agency to enter in the database. 
     
    No senior will graduate without 12 hours of service completed for the year.

    Click here for more information.

  • Leadership

    An offense warranting 10 or more demerits disqualifies a student for a minimum of 12 months from holding any leadership position including, but not limited to, National Honor Society, Peer Leader, and Student Government.

  • The Marist Guidon

    Senior pictures are an important event in the lives of high school students and their families. It is important that every student be pictured in the yearbook (called Guidon) each year, but especially important for his or her senior year. Information will be sent via email and a push page sent in May before the senior year detailing the scheduling process for senior photographs. All senior photographs must be taken by the end of August to ensure they make the deadline for the yearbook.
     
    Information about senior ads for the yearbook is also included in the May communication. The first deadline for senior ads is early October. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Christine Bhasin or Mrs. Amelia Luke

  • Halloween

    Traditionally, seniors, faculty, and staff take a day near Halloween to dress in costume. 

  • Senior Mothers Dinner

    This is a special dinner held in April of the senior year and sponsored by the Marist Parents Club to honor the mothers of the graduates.
     
    The 12th Grade Level Coordinators send a letter to mothers of seniors in the fall requesting photographs for the slideshow presentation that is given during the luncheon. Mothers will receive a separate invitation to the luncheon, and as with all mothers’ luncheons, there will be a charge.

  • St. Peter Chanel Day

    St. Peter Chanel Day celebrates the life and work of the Marist martyr St. Peter Chanel, on a designated Thursday in April. The day begins with Mass followed by a variety of activities on the Marist campus. Student bands play live music, and the cafeteria provides lunch and snacks. St. Peter Chanel Day is a service project sponsored by the junior class, who plan and supervise all activities. The junior class sells smoothies as a fundraiser.
     
    The dress code follows the rules for out‑of‑uniform days with one exception: this is the only day of the year students are permitted to wear shorts on campus. Shorts must fall within 4 inches of the top of the knee; students will be asked to change if shorts are too short.

  • Senior Skip Day

    Seniors are granted a day off from school the Monday following Senior Emmaus. This day is publicized to the seniors and to the teachers so all classmates can participate. 

  • Donuts with Dads

    On a Wednesday morning in April, dads (or a father figure) of seniors are invited to a Wednesday morning Mass followed by a donut reception in the Parents Club Arcade Dining Area.

  • Senior Emmaus

    The eagerly anticipated Senior Emmaus is a weekend retreat for seniors who have already made an Emmaus retreat. The Emmaus Board develops the program for this retreat, within guidelines given by the retreat moderators.
     
    Senior Emmaus offers students the opportunity to further strengthen and nourish their relationship with God, in the company of their classmates, as they prepare to leave Marist and head off to college.

  • Senior Prom

    The prom is a formal event, with emphasis on class fellowship more than on the couples aspect. It has traditionally been held in April at the Emory Conference Center Hotel, from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
     
    Appetizers and a sit-down dinner are served, followed by dancing. Students must arrive by 8 p.m. and remain until 11 p.m.
     
    All seniors are encouraged to attend the prom, with or without a date, or as part of a group. Marist alumni may attend but students who have been asked to leave Marist, or who have been expelled, may not return to take part in formal school functions such as dances, prom, graduation, or Project Graduation. Guests (dates) from outside Marist must be approved by the Dean of Students.

  • Senior Exam Exemptions

    As stated in the Parent/Student Handbook (section 4.2.8), seniors are permitted to exempt exams in Terms 2 and 3 provided that they meet the following criteria:
    • 86.5% unweighted average in the course for the term.
    • Fewer than five demerits for the term.
    • No more than six absences excused from the class.  Excused absences due to Marist events are excluded.
    • No more than eight unexcused tardies to school in the term.
    • No more than three unexcused tardies to class in the term.
    • Exam exemptions are subject to the discretion of the teacher.
    • Students in AP courses are not able to exempt the exam in that course.

  • Alumni Association Senior Send-off

    On the last day of classes before graduation, the Marist Alumni Association hosts the Senior Send-off. The event, which is for seniors only, is a formal welcome of graduates-to-be into the Alumni Association. Attendance at the Senior Send-off is mandatory for all seniors with the exception of those taking AP Exams or participating in spring athletic events.

    Dress for Senior Send-off is St. Peter Chanel Day attire with tennis shoes. Seniors should come dressed to participate in field day actives and in clothes they don't mind getting dirty. 

  • Academic Awards Assembly

    An academic awards assembly for the entire student body is held on the Wednesday before Graduation in Centennial Center.
     
    Seniors are to wear their graduation gown (no cap). The guidelines for appropriate Marist dress for girls should be followed. Boys should wear a tie, dark dress slacks and dress shoes. A jacket is not required for this event.
     
    The program lasts an hour and a half and is followed by senior honors.
     

Baccalaureate and Commencement

List of 17 items.

  • Baccalaureate Mass

    The Baccalaureate Mass is a prayerful tribute to the graduating class and begins at 7:30 p.m. on the Friday before Graduation.

    The Parents Club provides a light reception for seniors and families following the Baccalaureate Mass.

  • Commencement Ceremony

    Commencement at Marist School is a traditional and formal ceremony attended by the entire faculty and administration in full academic regalia. The ceremony begins at 8:30 a.m. on the designated date.
     
    The presentation of a Marist diploma signifies both academic achievement and the spiritual commission to embody the mission of Marist School. This presentation is a solemn moment. Family members of each senior are invited to stand silently as the senior's name is called to receive the diploma. We ask that applause or verbal acclamation from the audience and the class be withheld until all diplomas have been presented and the Principal announces that the class has graduated. Whistling and shouting are out of place in the course of the presentation of diplomas.
     
    The Parents Club provides a light reception for seniors and families following Commencement.

  • Graduation Rehearsal

    All seniors are required to attend the graduation rehearsal on the Thursday prior to Graduation. The practice begins promptly at 9 a.m. and ends at noon. Dress is casual.
     
    There is Baccalaureate practice for Eucharistic Ministers and servers following Graduation rehearsal.

  • Broadcast/Livestream of Graduation Events

    Marist will livestream both the Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement for at-home watching by those unable to attend the events. 

  • Tickets

    Seating is open for the Baccalaureate Mass, and no tickets are required. Please be mindful of Friday evening traffic.
     
    Tickets are not required for Commencement when it is held outdoors in Hughes Spalding Stadium.

    In the event of rain, Commencement will be moved indoors to Centennial Center, and then tickets will be required. Each senior receives eight tickets for an indoor Commencement. Tickets will be distributed at the graduation rehearsal to all students     who have met the necessary academic, service, and financial requirements and, for young men, have hair length consistent with the handbook and have had a good shave. If you will not use all eight tickets or if additional tickets are needed, parents are asked to contact the Front Desk.
     
    On the day of Commencement, gates will open at 8 a.m. Families are advised to arrive early in order to avoid traffic congestion in the area around Marist and on campus.
     

  • Seating

    There are no assigned seats for either Baccalaureate Mass or Commencement.

    For Baccalaureate, gates will open at 7 p.m.

    For Commencement, gates will open at 8 a.m.

    Handicapped seating is available. Contact Mr. Reginald Brady for more information. 

  • Parking

    There will be security on site to assist with parking for both Baccalaureate and Graduation. There will be designated parking areas for the handicapped. Contact Mr. Reginald Brady for more information. 

  • Diplomas

    An email will be sent to parents in September of the senior year for approval of the student’s full formal name for the diploma. Marist must receive a response to this email within the specified time period in order for the student to receive a diploma.

    At Commencement, when students walk across the stage, they will receive their diploma cover. The actual diploma will be available for students to pick up immediately following the ceremony. If the student does not collect the diploma during the allotted time after the ceremony, it will be mailed home over the summer.

  • Caps & Gowns

    In the fall of senior year, Marist orders caps and gowns for the seniors and covers the cost for these. By November 17, parents should provide their child's sizing at www.3rdascent.com. Select Marist School, click on the Sr. Class Payments/Cap and Gown Packages link, and then select C&G Sizing only.

    Caps and gowns are distributed in May a week before graduation, provided the senior has no outstanding overdue library books and a clean locker.
     

  • Graduation Announcements

    Official Marist School personalized graduation announcements are available for preorder now here. The announcements will feature Marist’s official crest and be personalized with the student’s name in the text just like collegiate announcements. Orders will begin to ship directly to houses by mid-March with plenty of time to send them out to all your friends and family members. Questions? 

  • Attire

    Boys
    • Cap* & gown
    • Dark dress trousers (no khakis)
    • White shirt and tie
    • Dark dress shoes and dark socks
    Girls
    • Cap* & gown
    • Sunday best dress
    • Dress shoes
    *(Cap not required for Baccalaureate)
     
    Members of the National Honor Society wear the gold cord to Baccalaureate and Graduation.

  • Sedes Sapientiae Award

    The President presents the Sedes Sapientiae award, which is the highest award at Marist School. It is presented to a senior who has excelled in the areas of scholarship, loyalty, and service, and who, by a vote of the faculty, most exemplifies the mission of Marist School.

  • The Atlanta Journal Constitution Cup Award

    Each year The Atlanta Journal Constitution gives a cup to Marist to be awarded to an all‑around outstanding senior. The cup represents the second highest award that Marist can give a student and is selected by a faculty vote.

  • Archbishop's Awards

    The Archbishop’s Awards are presented each year by the Archbishop of Atlanta, or his representative, to a senior girl and boy who, while at Marist, have achieved excellence in the study of the Catholic faith, and who have given service to their school, their parishes, and their communities. The recipients are chosen by the Theology Department.

  • Valedictorian Award

    The senior with the highest cumulative average at the end of Term 2 is designated as Valedictorian and winner of a Harley R. Kimmel Award, donated by the Parents Club in memory of its second president. To be Valedictorian, a student must have attended Marist for 11 consecutive terms, beginning in 9th grade, and have exhibited honorable behavior.

  • Salutatorian Award

    The senior with the second-highest cumulative average at the end of Term 2 is designated as Salutatorian and winner of a Harley R. Kimmel Award, donated by the Parents Club in memory of its second president. To be Salutatorian, a student must have attended Marist for 11 consecutive terms, beginning in 9th grade, and have exhibited honorable behavior.

  • Project Graduation

    Project Graduation is held the evening of graduation. The event is hosted by the Parents Club and chaperoned by junior class parents. Almost all graduates attend this event, which is held 10 p.m.-2 a.m. at Marist School.

    No cars are allowed, and seniors must be driven by parents. Seniors wear their Project Graduation t-shirt as the ticket to the event. No bags are allowed. 
     
    For Project Graduation, every senior parent must complete, sign, and return a waiver form whether their senior is planning to attend or not. 

Alumni Association

Upon graduation, seniors become part of the Marist Alumni Association, which hosts events throughout the year including Homecoming, Young Alumni Christmas Luncheon, Trivia Night, Women’s Luncheon, Alumni Awards Luncheon, Annual Alumni Golf Tournament, Reunion Weekend, and more.
 
Alumni can stay in touch via the online directory at marist.com, through social media, and through their class representatives.
 
Parents of alumni also are encouraged to remain involved at Marist. The Marist Alumni Association hosts a gathering for parents of alumni each year.

 
 

Annual Fund

Honor Your Senior With an Annual Fund Gift

Supporting the Marist School Annual Fund is a great way to show your gratitude and celebrate the accomplishments of your senior. The Marist educational experience has shaped all seniors and prepared them to succeed in college and beyond. By contributing to the Annual Fund, you are enhancing all of Marist’s programs and helping to ensure other students can enjoy the same enriching experience yours did.

Senior Class Moderators

List of 2 members.

  • Photo of Shannon Hipp

    Dr. Shannon Hipp 94

    English Teacher
  • Photo of Brittany Loudermilk

    Ms. Brittany Loudermilk 07

    Teacher

12th Grade Level Chairs

Nida Mudd

Christene Self

Senior Events

List of 3 events.

View All Events

Marist School

3790 Ashford Dunwoody Road, NE
Atlanta, GA 30319-1899
(770) 457-7201
An Independent Catholic School of the Marist Fathers and Brothers