Senior Headquarters

 Carmel High School Graduation

Commencement Ceremony

 Location: Carmel High School – Turf Field
 Date: Monday, June 22, 2026 (rain date: 6/23/26)

Time:  6:00 pm

We are looking forward to celebrating the graduation of the Class of 2026 with all of you at the 96th Annual Carmel High School Commencement Ceremony on Monday, June 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM at Carmel High School!
 
Please read below for important information about our upcoming Carmel High School Graduation Ceremony.

96th Annual Carmel High School Commencement Ceremony

The Carmel High School Commencement Ceremony celebrating the Class of 2026 will be held at Carmel High School on the Turf Field on Monday, June 22, 2026 at 6:00 PM. 

Cap and Gown Pick Up 
Class of 2026 Graduates may pick up their Cap & Gown on Thursday, June 18, 2026 between the hours of 7:00 AM to 2:00 PM in Casey Hall. In order to pick their Cap & Gown, graduates must have already turned in their CCSD issued laptop computer. Information about CCSD laptop return will be sent in a separate communication to students and parents. 

Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal
Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal will be held at Carmel High School on Monday, June 22, 2026 at 9:30 AM on the Carmel High School Turf Field. Attendance is mandatory at Graduation Rehearsal. Any student who does not attend Graduation Rehearsal will not be able to participate in the Graduation Ceremony. 

Tickets
Each family will be provided five (5) tickets per graduate. We have a few extra tickets available for larger immediate families. If you would like to request 1-2 additional tickets, please e-mail Anne Marie Young at ayoung@carmelschools.org and include your student’s name and how many tickets you are requesting. If you have already e-mailed and requested tickets, please e-mail again to confirm. Requests for additional tickets must be made prior to June 8, 2026.  Tickets will be collected upon arrival, so please make sure that every member of your party (except the graduate) has a ticket. Seniors will be given the tickets when they pick up their Cap & Gown on Thursday, June 18, 2026. 
 
Rain Date Information 
In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place on the scheduled rain date of Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at 6 p.m. If inclement weather prevents the ceremony from being held outdoors on the scheduled rain date, the ceremony will be moved indoors to the Carmel High School Gymnasium. Moving to an indoor ceremony would require us to reduce our attendance to two (2) tickets per graduate. Within the 5 tickets that your child receives at rehearsal, two (2) of the tickets have “RD” printed on the bottom of them. These are the only 2 tickets that will grant you access into the gymnasium on the rain date. Please note that no family will be given additional tickets if the ceremony is in the gymnasium.  
 
Parking 
Please see the parking options for CHS Graduation listed below:
 
Carmel High School Parking Lots: 
There is limited parking in the large lot (near Library) and on the other side of the building (near the county buildings). Handicap Accessible Parking is available in the large lot (Library) along the sidewalk and in the bus spots along the fence. Handicap parking is also available behind the music building. Parking is labeled and there will be parking attendants to help. There is also parking in the Senior Lot, on Vink Drive and 301. 

County Lot: 
Parking is available in the Putnam County Lots, but only after 4:30pm. This is not Handicap accessible and it is about a 5-10 minute walk to the Turf Field.
 
St. James Parking Lot: 
Parking is available after 4:30pm and is about a 10-minute walk to the Turf Field. There is no handicap accessible parking.

George Fischer Middle School: 
Parking is available at GFMS. There will be School Bus Shuttles that will take you to and from the High School. The shuttles will begin at 4:30 pm.  

Reservation of Seats 
Please know that we cannot reserve seats for families. However, families are able to access the Carmel High School turf and stands starting at 4:30pm on the day of graduation to reserve their seats. If you choose to watch the ceremony from the hill, please remember to bring a chair. There are folding chairs on the turf which are also for families. Handicap accessible seating is available, it will be roped off and marked. 

Cooling Stations and Indoor Seating 
We will have firetrucks and ambulances to serve as cooling stations on property if needed. We will also have the ceremony streaming live in the high school gymnasium in order to provide shade.
 
Concession Stand 
Our High School Booster Club will be selling snacks and refreshments during the ceremony. Please, no food on the athletic turf field. 

Code of Conduct
Graduation is always special and memorable event for our students and families. Please be reminded that there is no smoking or tobacco use allowed on Carmel High School grounds. 

Photography and Videography 
We will have photographers and a videographer at graduation. They will take a picture of the graduates receiving their diplomas as well as candid photos. We will also have our backdrop set up on the field so graduates and families can take pictures before and after the ceremony. 

Local Live Streaming 
As we get closer to the event, we will email a link to our local live site where our Carmel High School Commencement Ceremony can be viewed in real time. If the ceremony ends up taking place in the gymnasium due to weather, the event will also be live streamed.  
 
Graduation is the culmination of years of dedication, sacrifice, and hard work by both students and their parents. This is a special moment for our students, families, school and community. We hope that it’s memory that will be cherished for years to come.