1. education
2. high school

Ruth Asawa San Francisco School of the Arts PTSA
April 22, 2015
Dear SOTA Graduating Seniors and their Parents/Guardians:
Congratulations! Your student is in the final stretch of their high school career and graduation is near! As we
approach this important day, we want to provide you with some important information for SOTA 2015 senior
graduates and their families.
Graduation Caps & Gowns:
All graduating students MUST wear the SOTA cap and gown to graduation. Caps and Gowns will be distributed to
seniors on Friday, May 22nd, from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m. in the Pannone Gallery, next to the college center.
The cost of the pre-ordered cap and gown is $40.00. If your student neglects to collect the cap and gown on
May 22nd at 8-9:00, they will need to get it the morning of graduation from the Josten’s representative and the
price will be $50.00. VERY IMPORTANT: The provider of SOTA’s caps and gown will accept CASH or MONEY
ORDER ONLY on the day of distribution, May 22nd - no exceptions!
Graduation Rehearsal:
There will be a graduation rehearsal on Friday, May 22nd at 10:00 a.m. in SOTA’s Dan Kryston Memorial
Theater. Attendance is mandatory. Tickets for graduation will be distributed to the students at the conclusion of
rehearsal.
Senior Luncheon & Awards Ceremony:
A PTSA sponsored luncheon will be held for our seniors on Friday, May 22nd beginning at 11:45 a.m. If you can
volunteer, please contact Lillian Wong at [email protected] as soon as possible. Following the luncheon,
there will be an award ceremony in SOTA’s Dan Kryston Memorial Theater. Unfortunately, due to space
constraints in the theater, we are unable to invite parents or outside guests.
Graduation Ceremony:
Graduation is Tuesday, May 26, 2015. The 2015 SOTA graduation ceremony will be held at the Palace of Fine
Arts Theatre located at 3301 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA 94123.
Graduating students must arrive at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre no later than 9:00 a.m. with their caps
and gowns. Please ensure your student does not bring personal items, purses, backpacks etc., as we are unable to
provide security for personal items while the graduation ceremony is in progress. Graduating student family
members and guests should be in their seats no later than 9:50 a.m. The Ceremony will begin promptly at 10:00
a.m. and is expected to last for approximately two (2) hours.
April 22, 2015
Page 2
Graduation Reception:
A reception following graduation, with light appetizers and beverages, will begin around 12:30 p.m. and will be held
in the reception lobby inside the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre.
Parking and Transportation:
There is limited parking at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre and there may be some parking found in the adjacent
neighborhood. Public transportation is also an option. For direct municipal travel directions and bus lines, go to
www.511.org.
Graduation Pictures:
A professional photographer from Campus Candids will be taking pictures at the graduation ceremony. Each
graduate will have a photo opportunity when they receive their diploma. This will allow the ceremony to proceed in
an orderly manner and we ask that parents refrain from coming to the stage to take photos. Following the
ceremony, Campus Candids can be contacted via their website www.gradfotonetwork.com or at 800-453-0335.
Graduation Ceremony DVD:
A video production company will record and produce a DVD of the ceremony. You can pre-order a copy of the DVD
on the enclosed RSVP form. You can also purchase a copy of the DVD on the day of the ceremony. The DVDs will be mailed to your home address approximately 7-10 days following graduation.
Graduation Tickets:
Seating is limited at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre and admission to the graduation event will be by ticket only.
Each graduating student will automatically be allotted two (2) free tickets. Two additional “free” tickets will be
available to those students and families who return the enclosed RSVP form on or before the due date – May
8, 2015.
After receiving all RSVP forms, we will be able to determine the number of remaining available seats. These
remaining tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis, beginning Monday, May 18th. The price of the
tickets will be announced on the SOTA website and these additional tickets can be purchased online, or by
delivering a check to Paulette Cauthorn in the SOTA front office.
Graduation Expenses:
In keeping with the SOTA tradition of holding graduation at an offsite venue with a reception following, the PTSA
has reserved an outside venue for our 2015 graduates. As in the past, this event is entirely funded by the PTSA
and the total projected expense budget exceeds $10,000!
As previously stated in the letter/email sent to the homes of our graduating seniors, a suggested donation of
$75.00 is requested to cover the cost of the venue, reception, senior awards luncheon, printed programs,
scholarship, etc. We recognize that many families are facing mounting expenses with their students heading to
college. If you are in a position to contribute, we greatly appreciate your generosity! No donation is too small.
April 22, 2015
Page 3
Donations can be made:

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Online via Paypal: Send donations to email address: [email protected]
Drop off or send a check payable to SOTA PTSA, 555 Portola Drive, San Francisco, CA 94131.
Please note “Graduation 2015” in the memo section.
Date and Time Recap:
Friday, May 8th
Return RSVP Form for free tickets
Monday, May 18th
Purchase additional tickets online at www.sfsota.org/graduation2015
Friday, May 22nd
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
10:00 – 11:45 a.m.
11:45 a.m.
1:00 p.m.
Pick up Cap/Gown in Pannone Gallery – bring $40.00 CASH Only!
Graduation Rehearsal and Ticket Distribution in the Dan Kryston Memorial Theater
Senior Luncheon in the Teacher Lounge/Patio
Senior Awards Assembly in the Dan Kryston Memorial Theater
Tuesday, May 26th
9:00 a.m
10:00 a.m
12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Students arrive at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre
Graduation Ceremony begins
Graduation Reception
Other Items:
Please caution your friends or family NOT to bring balloons to the graduation ceremony. Balloons are not allowed
inside the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre. Also, confetti/glitter and excessive noise are not allowed. This is a nonsmoking venue.
Are you looking for a special way to celebrate your student’s achievements at SOTA? Honor him/her with an
engraved seat plaque in the Dan Kryston Memorial Theater. Personalized plaques can include graduates name, year,
and department! Learn more at www.sfsota.org/takeaseat.
If you have any questions, please email Paulette Cauthorn at [email protected]. Congratulations on making it
this far. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, May 26th at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre!
Sincerely,
The 2015 Graduation Committee