Class of 2026

Senior year is a major milestone for our Mustang families and, for many, a chance to create one final year of unforgettable memories with friends and teachers at Downers Grove South. Explore the details about your senior yearbook photos, portrait options, cap and gown orders, graduation and other upcoming events and celebrations in the tabs below.
Important Dates
Prom - April 25, 2026, at Bolingbrook Golf Club
Six Flags Grad Nite: May 9, 2026
Final Day of School for Seniors: May 12, 2026
Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal - Friday, May 15, 9 AM
Graduation - Sunday, May 17 at 12 PM
Yearbook
Yearbook
Students who pre-purchased a yearbook can pick it up after school on Wednesday, May 6, or before school on Thursday, May 7. There are no cash sales for yearbooks. We will continue to sell yearbooks with Jostens online while supplies last.
Are you sure you've ordered a yearbook? You can email kotruk@csd99.org to double-check.
Senior Events
Prom
Prom
Saturday, April 25, at Bolingbrook Golf Club
Tickets
Prom tickets will be available for purchase from Friday, April 10, at 5:00 PM, through April 17, 2026. No tickets will be sold after April 17, 2026.
When purchasing your ticket, you’ll need your last name and student ID number. Once you’ve purchased your ticket, you’ll also be able to select your table — each table seats up to 10 guests.
All DGS students must present their student ID to enter the dance. IDs will be scanned and serve as your admission ticket.
All approved guests must present their student ID or driver's license to enter the dance.
- Prom is 6 PM - 10 PM
- No entry into Prom after 8 PM
- No re-entry after a student leaves the dance.
- All ticket sales are final. There are no refunds.
Senior Awards
Senior Awards Night
April 28, 2026The Senior Awards Ceremony will be held on Tuesday, April 28, at 7:00 p.m. on the Main Stage. This is an annual program designed to honor those seniors who have excelled, and seniors are invited by invitation only. Invitations will be sent in April. Representatives from the community and members of our South High staff will present awards. Honors range from recognition with certificates, plaques, and medals to scholarships. Participating seniors should wear their caps and gowns and sit in the front rows (reserved) of the Main Stage. Please wear your D99 official graduation regalia.
Senior Barbeque
Yard Sign Distribution
Yard Sign Distribution
Friday, May 1 during lunch periods
We are excited to continue the tradition of giving every Senior student a yard sign to celebrate their graduation from DGS. Yard signs will be distributed on Friday, May 1, during lunch periods.
Additionally, our College and Career Center will celebrate Decision Day with a variety of activities throughout the day.
Six Flags Grad Nite
Six Flags Grad Nite
Saturday, May 9, from 9:30 PM to 3:00 AM
Please note that this trip to Six Flags takes place in the middle of the night. We’ll be joining many other area high schools at this event. The cost of the trip is $97. This includes your ticket to Six Flags, transportation, and an all-you-can-eat buffet. Six Flags will not accept season passes for entry. All attendees must use school-provided transportation to and from the event. Interested students will be able to reserve their spot on the trip through the 5-Star Six Flags link . The deadline to register is Friday, April 10. A digital parent permission slip must be submitted via 5Star at the time of your ticket purchase. On Friday, April 10, all registered students will receive an email from 5 Star requiring them to share their student cell phone, parent/guardian contact information, and an emergency contact. The digital permission form and field trip contact information are required to attend. All ticket sales are final!
The tentative schedule for the evening is as follows:
- 6:30 PM: Students arrive at DGS and meet in the West Events Entrance
- Upon arrival at DGS, students must scan into the event using their digital DGS student ID. Bags are not permitted. Small purses or mini sling bags (fanny packs) will be searched by security prior to boarding on the bus. Additionally, students wearing pants with pockets or wearing jackets will need to turn their pockets inside out to be searched by security prior to boarding the bus.
- 7:30 PM: Buses depart for Six Flags
- 8:30 PM: Arrive at Six Flags and check in
- 9:30 PM: Enter the park
- 11:30 PM -12:30 AM: Dinner
- 3:00 PM: Depart Six Flags
- 4:00 PM: Arrive back at school
Graduation
Caps and Gowns
Caps and Gowns
Students who ordered their cap and gown will pick them up in the West Events Entrance during their assigned lunch period on Tuesday, April 21. If a student is unable to pick up their cap and gown on April 21, they should stop by student activities after April 21 to pick up their graduation regalia.
- During the graduation ceremony, graduates are required to wear the D99 official graduation regalia, which includes the following:
- Navy gown
- Navy cap
- Columbia blue stole & tassel
- Graduates being recognized for various academic distinctions will wear gold regalia accessories instead of the traditional Mustang blue.
- Honors: gold tassel
- High Honors: gold tassel & gold cord
- Distinguished Honors: gold tassel, gold cord, and gold stole
Graduation Rehearsal
Graduation Rehearsal
Friday, May 15 at 9 AM
Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal will take place on Friday, May 15, at 9:00 a.m.
- Graduating seniors should not plan to arrive on campus that day until after 8:30 a.m. Graduates should report to the large gym and sit in their assigned seats. Prior to the graduation rehearsal, each student will receive an email that supplies their exact seat location.
- At the conclusion of the rehearsal, each graduate will receive three (3) tickets for the large gym, to be used in case of severe weather on graduation day. In case of inclement weather, graduation will be held in the large gym. Families must bring these tickets for admission to the event if the ceremony is held indoors, and each graduate may bring only 3 guests. Please note that we will make every effort to host the ceremony outdoors at the stadium, where no tickets will be required.
Graduation
Graduation
Sunday, May 17 at 12 PM
- The ceremony will be streamed live on our School YouTube Channel.
- We will post the graduation location (inside the large gym or outside in the stadium) online at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, May 17. As a reminder, the ceremony will be streamed live on our School YouTube Channel for those unable to attend in person.
- As a reminder, if the ceremony is inside, each graduate will be allowed only three (3) in-person guests. To avoid potential disappointment, please take a moment now to discuss with your family who the 3 tickets will go to if we do need to be inside. Due to fire code restrictions, every human (including babies) will need a ticket if we are inside.
- If the ceremony is outside, no tickets are needed, and all are welcome to attend.
Other important graduation information:
- The commencement ceremony is an opportunity for us to honor each of our graduates both individually and collectively. On April 8, during Access, senior students will participate in a phonetic-spelling activity to help name readers pronounce each name correctly.
- Graduates will receive a diploma cover during the ceremony and will pick up their actual diploma and student records following the ceremony. Details will be provided at rehearsal.
Photography
Photography
- Visual Image Photography, our official commencement photographer, will have portraits available online at www.vipis.com approximately ten days after the ceremony. Here are the directions to order your pictures: Directions in English and Directions in Spanish.
Commemorative Brick Information
Commemorative Brick Information
The District 99 Education Foundation offers families the opportunity to purchase a commemorative brick near the Mustang statue at the front of the building. This is a wonderful way to leave your permanent mark on South High School. Please check their website for details.
Returning Items and Technology Changes
Returning Items
Nurses' Office: Return your elevator keycard and pick up any medication or diabetic supplies you may have in the Nurses’ Office.
Books: Any textbooks should be returned to the teacher in the classroom. If you have any library books, please return them directly to the library.
Chromebook Buy-Back: In the past, graduating students have been allowed to keep their Chromebooks for use in their postsecondary ventures. This year, District 99 plans to buy back a limited number of Chromebooks to support projects for the upcoming school year. Graduating students will have the opportunity to either keep or sell back their Chromebooks. Please be on the lookout for more details about this buyback program. All students are responsible for returning any Chromebook loaners, wifi hotspots, and/or charging cords that have been loaned to you.
Technology Changes
Email, Google Drive and Network Access Information: On or around June 12, your CSD99 Google account will all become inactive. Please take a minute to back up any files you would like to keep and change your email in any software applications you may still be using (for example, SchooLinks). Additionally, if you want to save any materials from your CSD99 Google account, use Google Takeout, which is linked here. As a resource, here is a blog post that explains the process, along with a step-by-step video linked here.
