School Safety Considerations for High School Graduation and School Promotion Ceremonies

Incidents of violence at high school graduations and lower grade promotion ceremonies have raised important concerns about the safety and security of these events. This list of considerations is intended to serve as a planning guide and conversation starter for school and district-level leaders. While not exhaustive or mandatory, it highlights practical strategies to enhance preparedness and prevent disruptions.

Pre-Event Planning for High School Graduation Security and School Promotion Ceremonies

– Treat the event as a high-risk day, even if past events have been incident-free. Anticipate potential problems and focus on prevention.

– Clearly communicate behavior expectations in advance. For example, withhold actual diplomas until after the ceremony to help manage graduate behavior.

– Visit off-campus venues in advance. Ensure staff are familiar with the layout, and provide families with information on parking, seating, and conduct expectations.

– Create and communicate written staff assignments. Define roles, duties, and tools such as radios or signage. Hold a pre-event briefing to address questions.

– Use tickets to manage crowd size and minimize disruption risks. Even if space allows, ticketing helps prevent uninvited or disruptive attendees.

School Safety Consideration for During the Ceremony

– Keep speeches brief. Limit remarks to five minutes or less to maintain audience attention and ceremony flow.

– Ensure the graduate walk moves efficiently. Minimize stage time to reduce the potential for audience disruptions.

– Assign familiar staff to read names. Using counselors or staff who know students helps with accurate pronunciation and maintains pace.

– Plan for potential intoxicated attendees. Have clear protocols for addressing inappropriate behavior, with staff—not just police—taking the lead in removals.

– Engage police and security officers in planning. Provide clear expectations and conduct pre-event briefings. Consider placing plainclothes officers in the audience for added oversight.

– Ban items like beach balls, horns, or noisemakers. Confiscate these items if seen, and be prepared for negative reactions.

Post-Ceremony School Safety Planning Considerations

– Schedule police and staff coverage for at least one hour after the ceremony ends, as graduates and guests tend to linger.

– Conduct a debrief the next day. Review what worked, identify new concerns, and document findings for future planning—especially important when staffing changes occur.

Graduations and promotion ceremonies should be among the most memorable and positive moments in students’ and families’ lives. Thoughtful and thorough planning is essential to making these events safe and successful. Wishing you a safe and celebratory ceremony!

Questions or training requests may be directed to Ken Trump.