Graduation Dress Code Policy

Graduation is a proud and formal occasion that celebrates the accomplishments of our students and the support of their families and community. To maintain the solemnity and of this formal event, Saipan International School requires all graduates to adhere to the following dress code for the graduation ceremony.

1. General Dress Expectations

Graduates are expected to wear formal attire beneath their school-issued, open graduation gown. Attire should be modest, neat, and appropriate for a respectful school ceremony. Students will be excluded from the graduation ceremony if they are not following the dress code.

Acceptable Attire Includes:

  • A collared shirt with necktie or blouse

  • Dress black pants, skirt, or a modest-length dress

  • Closed-toe shoes or dress heels

  • Traditional or cultural formal attire (see Section 3)

Unacceptable Attire Includes:

  • Jeans, shorts, leggings, t-shirts, or items with large logos or slogans

  • Flip-flops, beach sandals, or casual athletic shoes

  • Revealing or informal clothing

2. Graduation Gown and Regalia

All graduates must wear the official Saipan International School graduation gown and mortarboard cap during the ceremony.

  • Tassels should be worn on the right side before the diploma is received and moved to the left side afterward. No additional adornment is permitted on the mortarboard cap during the ceremony.

  • A single school-approved sash will be worn to represent honors or student leadership at SIS. Only one sash may be worn by a graduating student. Students should choose the highest honor and/or the one that is most personally meaningful. Valedictorians and Salutatorians must wear these sashes.

  • No additional decoration, stoles, cords or jewelry is allowed during the formal part of graduation ceremony, but are welcomed and supported after the graduates are presented to the community.

3. Cultural and Personal Expression

At Saipan International School, we believe that every student’s identity is built upon a personal foundation—shaped by family, experiences, values, and culture. Our role as a school is to build upon that core, adding layers of knowledge, skills, character, and achievement that prepare students for the world ahead. To symbolize this, graduates are encouraged to appropriately incorporate elements of their cultural and/or personal identity beneath their academic robes, showing that SIS builds upon the foundation, honoring where students come from and preparing them for where they are going.

Examples of permitted cultural additions include:

  • Malo, lava-lava, kimono, hanbok, sari, mu’umu’u, pandanus mat, or other familial or traditional garments or accessories.

  • These items should be worn beneath the school graduation gown, must maintain a formal appearance and must be approved by the Graduation Committee no later than two weeks before the ceremony.

Updated May 2025