Registration Information for the 2013 NICHE Graduation Ceremonies June 1, 2013 Registration Deadline: February 1, 2013
Offered Again This Year: Two Separate Ceremonies on One Day and Online Graduate Registration with Secure Credit Card Payment
Again this year, NICHE will be sponsoring two statewide graduation ceremonies, on the same day, at the same location. This change has been made to accommodate the growing number of participants and to better serve the scheduling needs of the participating families.
The NICHE graduation ceremonies are open to all NICHE member families who adhere to the participation guidelines [see below]. Are you not yet a NICHE member, or has your membership expired? Click herefor easy online NICHE membership registration.
Complete Graduate Registration in one of two ways: 1. Download, print, complete & mail a print application with check payment, postmarked by February 1, 2013. OR 2. Go to the secure online graduation registration site, complete the form & pay by credit card by February 1, 2013.
Participants in the 2013 NICHE Graduation Ceremonies Must: PARTICIPANTS IN THE 2013 NICHE GRADUATION SERVICE MUST: 1) Be a child of a parent or parents with a current NICHE membership 2) Verify that the participant has been homeschooled for at least the 2012/13 school year 3) Confirm that the participant believes in Christ for his/her salvation or has received Christian training, 4) Affirm that the participant and family/friends attending agree to respect & honor the ceremony's Christian emphasis 5) Mail or submit online a completed 2013 Graduation Participation Form and payment of $85 by February 1, 2013 6) Submit additional program and ceremony items as requested by the graduation committee 7) Agree to attend the graduation rehearsal on the day of the graduation service 8) Agree to adhere to outlined appearance and deportment standards
The NICHE Board reserves the right to accept or reject any applicant for participation. Please direct any questions or concerns to graduation@homeschooliowa.org
NICHE does not provide official endorsement of the high school diploma awarded by the parents of the participating graduate.
Graduation participation registration deadlines must be set early in February due to the ordering deadlines set by our cap & gown supplier.
Choose the Ceremony That Works Best for You: First Ceremony Rehearsal: 9:00 a.m. Ceremony: 11:00 a.m. Second Ceremony Rehearsal: 1:30 p.m. Ceremony: 3:30 p.m.
If you want to submit a graduation registration by regularpostal mail with check payment, click here to download the required forms. [Postal-mailed ceremony choices cannot be guaranteed.]
If you want to register online please read the list of required information you will be asked to supply before you click the link below to register. [Online registrations are processed immediately.]
Here is the list of information you will be asked to supply as you register online. Please have this information at hand when you log on the online registration form.
Graduate's Name, Address, City, State, Zipcode, Phone Number, Email Address [Please use an email address that you check regularly!]
Graduate's Height (when wearing shoes), Weight (within 5 pounds), & Head Measurement (within .25" - measured using sewing tape wrapped snugly, but not too tightly, approximately 1" above ears)
Graduate's Name as you want it to appear on the diploma & in the program
Name of Your Homeschool as you want it to appear on the diploma & in the program
Number of Years Student Was Homeschooled
Graduate's Parents' Names, including title, if any (e.g. John and Susan Smith or Pastor John and Susan Smith)
The online registration form also provides the means for you to submit the following required information:
Verification of Student's Homeschool Status
Verification of the Student's Christian Belief and/or Training
Verification of Acceptance of Ceremony Appearance and Decorum Standards (see below)
Graduate's Favorite Bible Verse(s) (due March 9, 2013)
Graduate's Involvements & Accomplishments (due March 9, 2013)
Graduate's Future Plans (due March 9, 2013)
Parents' Message to Graduate (due March 9, 2013)
Submission of these items is not required when you complete the initial online participation registration, but they must be submitted by the required deadlines in order to finalize your graduate's registration. At any time between your initial registration and the deadline submission date, you can log back on your graduate's online registration and enter each into your graduate's online registration record. [Note: The bottom four items on the list above can be entered on your graduate's online registration form by typing into a text box.]
2013 NICHE GRADUATION APPEARANCE AND DEPORTMENT STANDARDS
"I beseech you therefore...that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,holy, acceptable unto God. Provide things honest [literally "take thought for things honorable"] in the sight of all men." Romans 12: 1, 17
We are grateful for everyone who wants to participate in our graduation service and we make every effort to assure that the ceremony is a lovely memory to cherish. Participants must agree to respect and honor the Christian emphasis of the graduation ceremony. The 2013 NICHE graduation standards for appearance appropriate to this formal and solemn occasion include: no body piercing (excluding earrings on ladies), no vivid hair colors, no immodest dress, and no excessive make-up or jewelry.
In consideration of the other graduates and their guests, graduates and their parents are to refrain from performing actions/antics or displaying supplemental items/apparel which would draw attention to themselves during the ceremony. Examples would include, but are not limited to, holding up signs, shouting names or chants, performing acrobatics, taking photos while onstage, or wearing sashes, pins, or other personally expressive apparel items on caps and gowns.
While we understand that many of our graduates are in different clubs and organizations and have achieved high standards in different areas, items representing those organizations or achievements may not be worn during the ceremony, as we do not want our graduation ceremony to honor one particular type of accomplishment over other equally valuable achievements. Opportunity will be given to acknowledge these accomplishments in the graduation program.
This statement must be read & accepted by either the graduate or a parent, on behalf of all family members involved, in order to take part in the NICHE graduation ceremonies.
Serving Families Homeschooling in Iowa - Since 1992 Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators - niche@homeschooliowa.org - (515) 830-1614 - (800) 723-0438 in Iowa
