Graduation, the day that every senior has dreamed about since the first day that he or she stepped foot on campus, is less than a month away. However, seniors can still be prevented from graduating if they don’t follow school rules.

“Students need to realize that even though they are going to leave for the real world in less than two months, they are right now still at [Saratoga High] and need to follow the rules,” said Bosco.

Seniors will be excluded from the graduation ceremony if they do anything that will get them suspended at school sponsored events such as Beach Day or Senior Prom.

“One year, a group of seniors decided to bring alcohol to Beach Day,” said assistant principal Karen Hyde. “They were not allowed to walk at graduation and they received their diplomas after the ceremony.”

One thing that many students don’t realize could get them in trouble is the plating of a “Senior Prank.” The administration strongly discourages any pranks and principal Jeff Anderson sends out an email to seniors every year in order to warn them of the consequences of playing a “Senior Prank.”

“Senior pranks are defined as anything that costs the school time or money or damages anything,” said Hyde. “If a prank is played and [the administration] finds out who was behind it, that person will not be attending graduation.”

Another scenario that some seniors may face is the failure to complete the required courses. If a senior fails any of the school’s required classes, they will be able to walk at graduation, but they will not receive their diploma until after the course is completed in summer school. The main courses in question usually tend to be English 12, government and economics, because they are required classes for seniors.

“When we give a student a diploma, it means that they have completed all of the school requirements,” said Bosco. “If they failed a class, that means that they have not completed the required coursework that the diploma states that they have.”

The failure to pay library fines will also result in a student not receiving their diploma. They will be able to walk at the ceremony, but they will not receive a diploma until they pay their fines.

Contrary to popular belief, the failure to attend class will not necessarily exclude a student from the graduation ceremony.

“As far as attendance goes, unless you are dropped from a class that is needed you will graduate,” said Bosco. “ If you have 15 cuts, [the cuts] are not going to prevent you from graduating, but you will have Saturday school and other consequences.”

Both Hyde and Bosco emphasize the disappointment that will be experienced if any of the rules are broken.

“The only advice I have for seniors at this point is to be smart about what they are doing,” said Hyde. “Don’t do anything that could get you in trouble, because Grandma and Grandpa flew in to see you graduate and if they can’t see that happen, then they will probably be disappointed.”