KATY MAGAZINE NEWS
May 18, 2023
By Natalie Cook Clark
Katy ISD Commencement ceremonies start tonight and go through next Friday. This year nine Katy high schools will graduate as the newest District high school joins the schedule.
Photo from Katy High School's 2022 graduation ceremony courtesy of Katy ISD
Katy ISD 2023 Graduation Ceremonies Start Tonight
Tonight, Katy ISD will kick off their 2023 commencement ceremonies with Paetow High School seniors graduating at 8:00 p.m. at Legacy Stadium (1830 Katyland Drive.)
All District high school graduations will be held at Legacy Stadium at 8:00 p.m. See the full 2023 commencement schedule below.
This year, Jordan High School will graduate their first senior class. The 9th District high school opened Fall of 2020 during the pandemic. They opened with only 9th and 10th grade classes yet they still opened bigger than Katy ISD’s Tompkins and Paetow High Schools did their opening years.
Fireworks to End Each Ceremony
For the first time this year Katy ISD will host a 45-second firework display at the end of each commencement ceremony. According to the District, most graduations are finished somewhere between 9:30 p.m. and 9:55 p.m. depending on the size of the class. As safety is always a priority says the District, they have contracted a professional pyrotechnics company to administer each firework display.
Inclement Weather Plan
In the event of inclement weather, the scheduled evening ceremony will be rescheduled to 9:00 a.m. the following day at Legacy Stadium. The timeline for the rescheduled event is listed below.
7:00 a.m. Legacy Stadium Parking Lot Gates Open
7:30 a.m. Campus Staff Arrival at Designated Stadium Gate
8:00 a.m. Legacy Stadium Gates Open for Graduates & Guests
9:00 a.m. Graduation Ceremony Begins
Know the Clear Bag Policy and Prohibited Items
Katy ISD does operate by a clear bag policy for all of their graduations. This is the same policy as all events held at Legacy and Rhodes Stadiums. Guests not following the policy will not be permitted to enter the stadium. Bags listed below are approved by the District.
Clear, plastic, vinyl or PVC bags
Clear, plastic, one-gallon, re-sealable, Ziploc-style bags
Clutch bags approximately the size of a hand (4 1⁄2” X 6 1⁄2”)
Medically necessary items
The District does have a list online of items not allowed. Please note that this list does include balloons and noise makers for those super enthusiastic family members.
All Ceremonies will be Live-Streamed
Can’t attend the ceremony? All Katy ISD graduations will be livestreamed.
The highest GPA in the Class of 2023 is an impressive 4.8955. This year’s graduates include students that will attend universities and colleges across the nation and the world with a wide variety of studies.
Learn more about this year's valedictorians and salutatorians here.
For more information on this year’s Katy ISD Graduation Ceremonies, visit their website.
From the staff at Katy Magazine, CONGRATULATIONS Katy ISD Class of 2023!