Dates & Deadlines

July & August

• All seniors planning to attend college MUST start preparations well before school starts in September.  Refer to our Counseling Team's Applying to College webpages for details.

• Prepare for Senior Portraits

  • Remember that the School Portrait taken at Taking Care of Business Day is the ONLY photo we can use in the YEARBOOK senior class portrait pages. There is no charge for this photo unless you wish to purchase prints from the photography contractor. More information on purchasing will be available in August.
  • Your family may purchase a Senior Tribute advertising space in the yearbook to include other photos and a message for the graduate. (Information in November. Deadline for these ads is late January.)

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September

• Order your yearbook.
• College and Career Center opens the first day of school for drop-ins and appointments via email.
• Senior Parent Meeting with Counseling Department including advice, schedules, what to anticipate, etc. same night as Curriculum Night.
• In Naviance, begin tracking the dates of visits to Newport by college admissions recruiters from universities.
• College Applications lesson during the school day presented by Counseling with additional instruction for post-graduation planning (including college applications, jobs, etc.)
• In September and October, Counseling holds Senior Blitz, when every student will meet briefly with their counselor to review progress toward graduation requirements and discuss post graduation plans and how to get there. These appointments are ONLY for the student. Discuss the appointment with your student and follow up with the Counselor via email as needed. Find your counselor here.

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October

• Don’t sleep in. Be sure your college-bound student attends the Super Wednesday workshop with Newport English teachers to work on essays, to get ideas, and to receive feedback.
• Counselors available to students for questions and guidance by drop-in and appointment (Email the  counselor to request information or meetings. The  auto-reply email signature will give instructions for appointments).

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November

• DEADLINE   Reservations and fees for AP Exams. The exams are typically in May but students must register and pay fees in November.
• DEADLINE  Early Decision and Early Action admissions applications due. Check your colleges’ websites for dates.
• Apply for scholarships.
• Double check application deadlines and requirements for every college to which you plan to apply. By now, their annual updates and changes will be posted.
• Usually the first week in November: IMPORTANT Senior Class Graduation Information Meeting, which includes distribution of order materials for caps, gowns, and souvenirs and a group photo of the senior class.
• Caps & Gowns: About a week after the Senior Class Meeting:  Jostens first order deadline (only chance for free shipping) for graduation cap, gown, tassel, and stole.
• DEADLINE:  Due late November to early December Use Thanksgiving Break as a time to write or select a Senior Quote for the yearbook. This is your senior's chance to leave a legacy message for their classmates. Instructions and deadline distributed mid November.

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December

• Admissions decisions can begin to arrive.
  • Most college admission webpages indicate when students can expect responses.
  • Carefully review acceptance deadlines and deposits for tuition AND housing.
• Some students may be placed on college admission waiting lists. If that occurs:
  • you will receive a letter;
  • review that college’s policies and timelines;
  • if you want to remain on the wait list, you still need a guaranteed spot somewhere. Read admissions pages for that somewhere to understand policies for holding your admission, any deposits necessary, and when/if any refunds are available on deposits.
• Order graduation gowns, etc. through Jostens. Learn more here.

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January 

• Check High School & Beyond Plan for missing tasks REQUIRED for graduation. Your student should visit the College & Career Center if they need any help. Students may drop in or families must make an appointment.
• January usually brings the LAST chance to Order a yearbook. The two-week purchase window will be announced. Last chance for guaranteed delivery. Limited number available in June on first-come, first-served basis. There are never enough for all those who want them.
• Last week in January is the DEADLINE to purchase a Senior Tribute in the yearbook. Purchase on the Jostens website.

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February 

• DEADLINE  Our Senior Class Historians create a keepsake Senior Class video of hundreds of photos submitted by seniors and their families. The premiere is at the Graduation Ceremony.   Watch for deadlines by subject starting in February and occurring about every three weeks. We rely on families to submit photos so that every senior is represented AT LEAST once in each subject area. Multiple submissions welcome.

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March

• DEADLINE   Senior Video see details in February above.

• Graduation Ceremony Photos: Receive a coupon for 20% off your purchase of $50 or more when you register before graduation day.

• March 17 - Senior Reader Card: The Senior Reader Card link is open and active for Seniors to complete. This link is only accessible using the Seniors BSD laptop. This is the card the Senior will hand to the ASB Leadership before stepping on stage at graduation.  Deadline to complete is April 30.

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April

• DEADLINE NOW: High School & Beyond Plan Due NOW. Complete in Naviance. Graduation REQUIREMENT 
• AP cape/Honor cord sales typically begin. Watch for a text announcing the dates.
  • The fee will appear on your Touchbase account.
  • These items are optional and will not count as fines if you choose not to purchase.  
  • How does one qualify?  
    • AP Cape – score 3 or higher on three or more AP exams by the end of junior year;
    • Honor Cord – had a cumulative GPA of 3.5 at the end of 1st semester senior year;
    • ISA Cord – earned an International Spanish Academy Diploma.
• Jostens Cap & Gown still available from Jostens.
• DEADLINE  Graduation Name Card. Seniors received the link in their Senior Teams channel. Form accessible only to students using their BSD login. This tells our Graduation Ceremony announcer how your student would like to be introduced. Watch for text of deadline.
• DEADLINE   Senior Video see details in February above.

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May 

• AP Exams
• AP Cape/Honor Cord Distribution continues
• DEADLINE: COMPLETE YOUR GRADUATION NAME CARD FORM:
  • Please answer the questions for how your name will be read at graduation.  Every senior participating in the commencement ceremony must have this grad name reader card filled out.
  •  All seniors must have this form completed by the date seniors receive in their Teams channel and parents receive via text. 
• Prom Tickets go on sale 
• FINAL DEADLINE   Senior Video see details in February above.

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June

• Minimum 40 hours of Community Service recorded in Naviance. Hours are a graduation requirement. Must be submitted early to allow time for the supervisor to verify the hours. Students earn hours throughout high school. Students new to the district after freshman year should consult their counselor.
• Final two-week sales window for Yearbooks (the photo & memory album celebrating 2025 at Newport):  Limited supply.  Student records are checked for missing fines or fees, laptop return, etc. before issuing the yearbook to students.
• Senior Finals usually a week earlier than younger students.
• Yearbook Distribution
• Laptop and Textbook Returns
• DEADLINE   Final fees & fines due 
• Senior Prom 
• Graduation ticket distribution Each graduate will receive ten (10) FREE tickets if they have paid all fines and met all requirements.
• Senior Last Day of School
  • Senior Awards
  • Senior Alphabet & Video
  • MANDATORY Graduation Rehearsal – must attend before receiving graduation tickets
  • Rules for Decorating Caps
  • Senior Lunch
  • Farewell Assembly
  • Graduation Ticket Distribution (10 per student)
• Parking and Accessing Alaska Airlines Arena: Instructions distributed to families.
• Newport High School Graduation at Alaska Airlines at University of Washington. All four Bellevue Schools high schools hold graduations ceremonies at the same venue on the same day. There are four regular time slots. Each year the high school rotate through these morning, midday, afternoon, and evening start times. Watch for announcements (depending on contract negotiations with the UW) as early as November or as late as January.
• Diploma Distribution – Available in the office the day after graduation. Diplomas ARE NOT MAILED. Students need to plan to pick it up with a photo identification (such as BSD student ID or drivers license).
• GradKnight Celebration – Same day as graduation; Learn more here.

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July–Final Task

• Final transcript sent to ONE college, per your instructions.