Summer Graduation Ceremony on Tuesday, August 14

A district-wide graduation ceremony will be held for 62 Des Moines Public Schools students who completed graduation requirements over the summer. The ceremony will be held:

Tuesday, August 14
6:00 p.m.
Hoyt Sherman Place
1501 Woodland Avenue

Seniors from all five comprehensive high schools as well as Future Pathways and Scavo Alternative High School will be graduating Tuesday.

Students completed credit requirements over the summer at academic support labs at each high school, which are funded by a Destination Graduation grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Des Moines Public Schools is finishing its second year of the five-year Destination Graduation grant, which supports efforts to raise the graduation rate and lower the dropout rate. The grant funds an academic support lab at every high school, credit recovery programs, along with other school reform efforts.

During the first year of Destination Graduation grant funding, 30 additional students were able to meet requirements over the summer in order to graduate. This year the number has more than doubled.

“We are thrilled that 62 students have succeeded in completing their high school credits this year thanks to support from our Destination Graduation efforts,” said Jamie Gilley, Learning Services Coordinator. “The graduation ceremony will be an opportunity for them to celebrate well-earned recognition of their academic achievements.”

School board members, interim superintendent Tom Ahart, and other district administrators will be in attendance at the graduation ceremony. North High School Principal Matt Smith will give the address.