Alamo Schools District desires to supply two commencement ceremonies per yr — one within the fall and one in the summertime — in hopes of constructing the milestone occasion extra accessible to college students and rising participation.
San Antonio Faculty and Northwest Vista Faculty held its first-ever fall graduation ceremonies in December, becoming a member of St. Philip’s Faculty, which till not too long ago was the one one of many 5 faculties holding two commencements a yr.
“[We were] taking a look at guaranteeing that we honor college students who graduated within the fall, for them to have the ability to have fun with their households,” stated Alamo Schools District Chancellor Mike Flores. “And specifically one of many issues that we checked out was the autumn graduates and the participation price the next spring six months later.”
St. Philip’s Faculty has held a fall semester commencement since at the least 2022, and it joined Northwest Vista in graduating its first ever recipients of bachelor’s levels final fall.
Collectively the 5 faculties — San Antonio, Northwest Vista, Northeast Lakeview, St. Philip’s, and Palo Alto — serve practically 90,000 college students within the San Antonio area. And whereas enrollment continues to extend, so have the variety of graduating college students making for longer commencement ceremonies within the spring.
Francisco Solis, president of San Antonio Faculty, stated that participation of fall graduates wanted enchancment. Final spring, the school had about 300 fall graduates who participated within the Might ceremony. However this quantity fell far wanting the overall variety of college students who certified to take part within the spring commencement ceremony.
This fall, practically 630 college students signed as much as take part within the December commencement ceremony and picked up their cap and robes. On commencement day about 550 college students ended up taking part. However even after some losses, the rise from earlier years is a hopeful indicator to his crew, Solis stated.
“Particularly since so a lot of our college students are first era, and for a lot of of their households, they’re the primary to go to school. So we actually wished to create a celebration for them,” Solis stated.
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Many issues may get in the best way of attending a ceremony six months after completion, he stated, together with new jobs, strikes out of the town, and even the scale of the graduating class. So holding two ceremonies per yr may make the occasion extra accessible.
“The Might graduation sometimes has about 1,300 college students and the ceremony goes on for nearly three hours,” Solis stated. “And actually a few of our college students had been getting the diploma and strolling straight off the stage to [leave].”
All three fall graduation ceremonies had been held on the Freeman Coliseum, situated at 3201 Houston St. within the metropolis’s East Aspect on consecutive days between Dec. 9 and 11.
With two faculties left so as to add to this two-graduation ceremony mannequin — Northeast Lakeview and Palo Alto — Flores stated he hopes 2026 may very well be the yr all 5 faculties have fun each graduating lessons individually.
Regardless of including yet another main occasion to their record, Solis stated the efforts are greater than price it if extra college students get to cross the stage to obtain their levels.
“I feel for college kids commencement is a manner to connect with that subsequent step, whether or not which means coming into the workforce or transferring,” Solis stated. “And I feel that units them up although for future commencements. For future milestones.”
The San Antonio Report companions with Open Campus on larger schooling protection.
