12 Common Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistakes to Avoid

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Homeschool graduation ceremony mistakes to AVOID for your homeschooling senior year and at-home graduation ceremony. Get ideas for homeschool high school senior to celebrate their accomplishments. And, many of these are just as applicable to kindergarten graduation homeschool to homeschool 8th grade graduation as senior year graduation!

12 Common Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistakes to Avoid

Congratulations!

You’ve made it to the time where you’re graduating your homeschool 12th grader or you’re entering the last year of high school and want to know more about how homeschool students graduate or you may be wondering how homeschoolers get a diploma. 

If you’ve landed here because you’ve just started your homeschooling high school journey or you’re planning your child’s last year of home school high school, I recommend starting with these which covers a lot of basic information:

• Help for Graduating Homeschoolers
• Homeschool High School Guide (including homeschool transcripts info!)

 

If you’re ready for your home school graduation ceremony or you’re planning a homeschool grad party, read on to get the best out of this high school ceremony celebration!

I’ll cover some common homeschooling graduation mistakes and how to avoid them for your high school senior student.

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #1: Not Checking Your State Laws for Graduation

Once you get to the graduation ceremony planning stage of homeschooling, it’s a little late to be checking your homeschool state laws on graduating for the very first time. 

Most states don’t provide guidelines on homeschool graduation, but you may have specific requirements that your homeschooler needs to meet at specific times during the homeschooling process.

However, this is a good time to make sure all your proverbial homeschool ducks are in a row.

So, be sure to double check what is required of you (by your state) for homeschool graduation requirements and tie up any loose ends well before the graduation ceremony!

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #2: Not Checking If There’s a Local Ceremony for Your Homeschooler

In some areas with a large population of homeschoolers, you may find that there’s a local homeschool graduation ceremony hosted through a private organization, homeschooling group, or even your state home school association.

Search online for homeschool graduation ceremony near me, ask in local homeschool Facebook groups, or in your meet-up groups for homeschool graduation ceremonies for your city or state.

And, who knows?

If there isn’t one, but there is enough interest from a small group of other homeschool parents, maybe you can even put something together?

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #3: Forgetting to Create a Diploma

This one is easy to forget because your homeschooler just completes the last of their work and then they’re  done.

However, creating a diploma for your homeschooler is one of the most important things that you can do for their graduation!

They may use copies of their personalized homeschool diploma for job interviews, college, and more (along with transcripts – so don’t forget those!).

Plus, it’s a cool recognition of their accomplishment!

(And, you are their “educational institute,” so it is your responsibility to create a diploma!)

However, a word of warning: don’t create one of those cheesy clipart diplomas with a balloon border.

Remember, your child may be using copies of the diploma for official purposes (jobs, college, etc.), so you want a professional looking diploma.

But, don’t worry!

You can order professional looking diploma paper and create your own homeschool graduation certificate template.

And, don’t forget an awesome, official-looking diploma document holder.)

 

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #4: Not Buying a Graduation Cap and Gown

UGH.

I know.

Why would you want to spend the money on something that your high schooler is only going to wear for a short period of time?

A homeschool cap and gown is a symbol of a milestone, but it’s something that many homeschool families don’t buy.

Don’t make this mistake!

A graduation cap and gown makes this process feel more official for your homeschool senior or graduate!

Plus you can get a cap, gown, tassel, and year to go on the tassel pretty cheap, so there really is no excuse! Or, if you’re crafty, you can make a DIY graduation gown or even borrow one from a fellow senior. Sometimes you can even find them at thrift stores!

(Think of all those cute pics you’ll get of your grad!)

TIP: If you need one for a homeschool kindergarten graduation ceremony, check out these cap and gown options.

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #5: Not Setting a Date and Location

Don’t make your graduation a private event!

This is a CELEBRATION, so invite friends and family to commemorate this time and honor the hard work of your homeschooler.

Will it be a backyard graduation ceremony or do you want to have a graduation party at a local venue?

Consider where and when you want to have your homeschool graduation ceremony and then get it on the calendar. 

TIP: The earlier, the better for your guests! May is typically graduation season and very busy. Consider having your graduation party in June instead.

 

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #6: Forgetting to Create (and Send) Invitations

Graduation time (usually in May) is super busy for a lot of people, so once you get your date and location set you’ll want to get those invitations out ASAP!

You can save money by creating and printing your own invitation with a free online app like PicMonkey or Canva (or you can check these Amazon graduation announcements).

Be sure to include the following on your homeschool graduation invitation:

• What the event is (graduation ceremony)
• Child’s name
• Celebration Date
• Time
• Location (including an address)
• RSVP contact info

If you’re wondering how to make a graduation program, also check out Canva.com. They have a lot of different templates and its super easy to make and download a professional looking program for graduation to print at home or take to a printers.

Honestly, you don’t need perfect examples of graduation ceremony programs! Just make them what you want them to be in a way that represents your graduate.

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #7: Not Planning The Party Adequately (It’s Different Than a Traditional Graduation Party!)

Another mistake people make is not thinking through exactly what kind of  ceremony is needed for a homeschool graduation.

Because it’s for homeschooling, it will be a different than a traditional graduation ceremony where you go to a school for the graduation and then back home or to a venue for the party.

What will be your homeschool graduation order of ceremony? (Create a timeline!)

At your homeschool graduation ceremony, you will be performing some type of graduation recognition and then having the party all the same place (like your home or backyard).

So, consider home school graduation supplies and other things you will need for a ceremony and a graduation party.

What kind of graduation party do you want?

• Will you hold the graduation ceremony and then have an open house type of party where you have cake and drinks and people can drop in anytime between certain hours? (If so, be sure to put this on the invite!)
• Are you having a smaller celebration at a restaurant?
• Are you having a casual party that will last several hours that includes a graduation recognition and then a cookout or pool party (or something like that)?

Most of the time, a casual backyard barbecue ceremony or even a fun final fiesta graduation party works fine.

Just be sure to plan for everything you need like:

• When will you have the graduation part of the ceremony? (At the beginning? After everyone eats?)
• Don’t forget about homeschool graduation tassels! When will your homeschooler perform the turning of the tassel? (Learn more about turning of the tassel history/tassels for graduation meaning and tassels for graduation which side of cap.)
• If it’s a bigger party, do you need a sound system with a microphone so you can give a speech, present the diploma, and then others can give toasts?
• Do you need a tent to protect from the sun (and one with sides that can pull down in case it rains)?
• How many chairs and tables will you need?
• Do you have enough dishes and glasses (or do you need to rent or buy more)?
• Will you need a DIY graduation stage or will you just use your deck, patio, or backyard?
• Do you want fun things like a bubble machine or a karaoke machine or fun lawn games?

What else?

 

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #8: Forgetting to Celebrate Your Homeschooler’s Successes

Some (?most?) of the people coming to the homeschool graduation ceremony for your child probably don’t completely understand how to home school and how your child even got to this point.

Make part of the diploma presentation an explanation of your child’s accomplishments. Even skeptical Aunt Jo will be impressed to learn that your child covered ancient Egyptian history and also volunteered three times each month!

Celebrate your homeschooler’s accomplishments! It’s time to brag a little!

Graduation Presentation Ideas:

• Highlight in your diploma presentation speech what your child covered and some of their favorite things.
• Put together a slideshow or video of your homeschooling years.
• Make a cool photo collage of the homeschooling years. (You can even ask guests on the invitation to contribute their favorite photos!)

 

THIS IS A FUN GRADUATION STORY FOR YOUR GRADUATION PARTY

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #9: Not Planning Your Graduation Speech

OK, this is the part where I remind you of something that might terrify you:

You will need to speak in front of the crowd at your child’s homeschool graduation.

Yikes.

(I mean, you’ll be presenting them with their diploma, so this can’t be that much of a surprise, right?!)

This is another area that homeschooling parents may forget about, especially if you were traditionally schooled.

Don’t forget to plan the diploma presentation and your speech!

So, what should you say? (It may even be helpful to create a graduation agenda template.)

 

What To Say At a Homeschool Graduation:

• Give an overview of their accomplishments.
• Share some funny stories about homeschooling.
• Tell about areas where your child excelled.
• Include any recognitions they received over the years.
• Talk about extra-curricular activities and community service.
• Let your guests know what your child plans on doing next in their life.

STUDENT GIVING A SPEECH? If you’re wondering what to say as a graduate for your homeschool graduation speech commencement speech, just adapt some of the ideas above to first person, coming from you as the student.

After the diploma presentation and your speech, open the floor to anyone else who might want to say something to the new grad!

Also, will there be an opening prayer for graduation party or before everyone eats? If so, who will give it? (This might be and area where you want the grandparents or a trusted friend get involved!)

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #10: Forgetting to Capture Memories from Guests

Don’t forget to give your guests a way to write messages, well wishes, and share memories for your grad!

Graduation ceremony ideas for high school (or any grade) fun keepsake ideas:

• Get a graduation guest book that allows enough room for people to write things to the grad and also for pictures to be added later.
• Use a wooden hearts well wishes frame instead of a guest book.
• Put out a memory wish jar where guests can write memories or well wishes and then slip them into the jar
• Use Advice and Wishes Cards for the Graduate.
• Have a rock creation station where guests can decorate or write on rocks and the grad can display them in a cool dish/jar later.
• Get an autograph frame where the guests can sign it and you can add it a picture later. (We did this for my daughter’s birthday one year and she still loves looking at what everyone wrote!)

 

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #11: Not Getting a Meaningful Graduation Gift

With everything else going on, a graduation gift might slip through the cracks.

But, now is the time to bust out the big gift guns and give your homeschool graduate something meaningful, especially if they’re going off to college or moving out right away.

This is really their last big send off gift that transitions them from childhood into early adulthood, so make it good.

(No pressure…)

So, what graduation gift should you give the new graduate?

Here are some of our favorite graduation gifts:

• Upgraded tech like a new laptop, latest tablet, or a new phone.
• Gas gift card to cover 3-6 months of gas.
• Meal gift cards (especially if they are moving out or heading off to college)–they can be giftcards to favorite restaurants, a meal service, or even a local grocery store.
• AirBnB gift card or reservations at a hotel (so they can do a mini vaca or getaway with their friends).
• Money. (Seriously, you can never go wrong with cash.)

 

 

Homeschool Graduation Ceremony Mistake #12: Not Involving Your Homeschool Graduate in the Planning

One of the biggest mistakes homeschooling parents make is not involving their homeschooler in the graduation planning process.

Sit down with your new grad and get an understanding of what they really want.

Maybe they want a huge party with a mix of their homeschool and traditional school friends and you were planning a small family dinner?

Or, maybe they’re mortified at the thought of wearing a cap and gown for their graduation in their backyard in front of family?

Be sure you’re all on the same page and the process will be much more enjoyable!

 

Congratulations to your homeschooling senior!

I hope you find these homeschool graduation ceremony mistakes and tips helpful!

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