Graduation Information

Dry Grad

Grad 2024 After Party
Graduating classes of LA Matheson Secondary school
11:30pm Monday June 24, 2024 – 4:00am 

Location :LA Matheson secondary, Put on by Vibe entertainment! 

The After Party (Dry Grad) happens after the school graduation dinner banquets, which are planned separately. Grads will enjoy a night of fun, food, prizes, and entertainment in the company of their graduating friends. It allows grads to celebrate in a safe and fun environment, with the activities going until the wee hours of the morning!

TICKETS
Tickets will be sold in the spring 
{dates to be announced}
Tickets can be purchased by cash or cheque payable LA Matheson Secondary School- in memo box put dry grad  or school cash-online
Contact : Mathesonpac@gmail.com 

PRIZES
The Prize Committee is asking our school families, their friends/family members, and the community for merchandise, gift certificates, and/or financial contributions to reward our well-deserving graduates with door and raffle prizes. To contribute, please contact: Mathesonpac@gmail.com

Donation letter available : Donation Letter

VOLUNTEERS
The Dry grad is planned and run by volunteers. Without them, there would be no event. We welcome parents/caregivers to volunteer and especially encourage those with students in grades 8–11 to participate. This allows parents/caregivers of graduates to focus on enjoying the graduation activities. Sign-up for volunteer shifts at the event will open after Spring Break – more information to come!

We also welcome volunteers to join the Dry Grad committee – we will be meeting Wednesdays 

Dec 6^th, Jan 10^th, Feb 7^th, March 13^th, April 10^th, May 15^th and June 12 in the Library at 6:30.

If you have any questions please feel free to email Mathesonpac@gmail.com.

COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY  

The Commencement Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, June 18 at 6:30pm at The Bell Performing Centre at Sullivan Heights Secondary School. Students need to arrive no later than 5:00pm to prepare for the processional and ceremony. The Commencement Ceremony for families and friends of Grade 12 students will start at 6:30pm in the theatre with doors opening at 6:00pm. Tickets must be presented at the door. Grads do not need a ticket; however, all family and guests must have tickets.

Each Grad will receive two (2) Commencement Tickets free of charge. Only students who have paid the Grade 12 graduation fee, student fees, and all other debts will be issued tickets.

A lottery for possible additional tickets (at a cost of $5.00 each) will be held after Commencement tickets are picked up. These will be distributed after school on Wednesday May 29. Students requesting additional tickets may do so by completing a form due before Friday April 12.

Families should also be aware that this formal ceremony often lasts three hours or longer and is not suitable for small children. If you choose to bring a child, they will also require a ticket.

Grad gowns will be delivered to Block D teachers on June 14. If you have a spare during Block D gowns can be picked up B111, see Ms. McKay.

All grads must attend a mandatory rehearsal on June 14 Block D at 1:50pm in the Small Gym. They will receive important information regarding procedures for the Commencement Ceremony.

CLASS VALEDICTORIAN 2024

The following dates are important to keep in mind: 

• Mon May 6th - application with speech video due. Submit to Ms. Puri in Counselling by 2:55 

via email puri_b@surreyschools.ca 
(see details in application components below this date section) 

• Thursday, May 9th - Valedictorian committee meets to discuss applications/compositions 

and create a short list of applicants

• Monday, May 13th - short listed applicants will be videoed with their short (1 minute) speech explaining to the Grad Class why they should be chosen as the valedictorian
• Wednesday, May 15th - Voting online by members of the Grad Class (link to be sent out via surreyschools message) 
• Friday May 17th - Valedictorian announced to the school

VALEDICTORIAN SELECTION (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY) 

If you are shortlisted, you must adhere to the policy of no open 

in-person or on-line campaigning to gather support for yourself 

or decrease support of others. 

If you wish to be considered for the role of Valedictorian 2024, you must fulfill the following: (Application deadline is Monday, May 6^th) 

PAC AND DRY GRAD

Dry Grad is a longstanding tradition at LA Matheson that is organized each year for the graduating class by a dedicated parent volunteer committee. It is a parent supervised all-night even and includes entertainment, a variety of activities, food, door prizes and much, much more.

LAM Teachers and Administrators are not involved in planning Dry Grad but the school supports the event. Dry Grad is solely organized by parents.

A high school graduation party is an important rite of passage and jumping off point into adulthood. It is a time to celebrate, a time to say goodbye to childhood, and a time to look to the future. The aim of the Dry Grad event is to reduce the risk of harm to the grads, and the community at large, on a night when risk is unusually high. The size and scope of the party is intended to reflect the Grads’ achievement and acknowledge the years of hard work they put into completing their high school education.

The party runs straight through until the next morning to ensure that graduates do not leave to go to another party. 

PARENT INVOLVEMENT

Please contact the Dry Grad Committee at MathesonPAC@gmail.com to get updates about the Dry Grad events and all our Fundraisers.

The Dry Grad Committee meets approximately once a month in the school library, where they discus, plan, and organize the year-end event.

All parents of graduating students are welcome to join us!

An even like this relies on a great deal of volunteers and community support. If you, your company, your employer, or anyone in your circle of friends, can support the LAM Dry Grad with a prize donation, a financial contribution, or your time, please Contact LAM Dry Grad at MathesonPAC@gmail.com

If you would rather make a donation instead of (in lieu of) participating in the many fundraisers, that is totally okay as well. Please simply ask you to send an eTransfer to MathesonPAC@gmail.com, please include the name of the student in the notes section of any amount that works for you.

Thank You for your kind consideration of this worthwhile event for our graduates on their special night.

PARENT TEA AND RECEPTION

Monday, June 24 in our school Courtyard at 3:30pm

A public acknowledgement of our Grad’s parents

GRAD BANQUET (DINNER AND DANCE)

Monday, June 24 at Tsawwassen Springs Golf & Country Club

Location and Directions: https://www.tsawwassensprings.ca/contact

DRY GRAD

Monday, June 24 after the Grad Banquet, this will be a Night to Remember from 11:30pm to 3:30am. 

There will be:

• Magic show from Dinero
• Casino Table Games
• Caricature Artist
• DJ and Dancing
• Photo Booth
• And More!

Dry Grad will be held at LA Matheson Secondary.

Grad Transportation - All grads will be bussed to their Grad Banquet after the Parent Tea and back to school for Dry Grad.

LA MATHESON GRADUATION COMMENCEMENT EXTRA TICKET REQUEST FORM

Please come to main office to get the form and return the completed form before Friday Apr 12, 3:00pm.

FEE PAYMENT

For those students that still owe fees, these can be paid online following the link and instructions below:

https://surreyschools.schoolcashonline.com