North Bend board backs student-led graduation cap, cord guidance with limit

The North Bend School District 13 board on Dec. 11 endorsed draft guidance to allow decorated graduation caps and to broaden recognition cords to include clubs and activities, citing strong student support and an administrative recommendation to set a height limit on decorations.

Sheena Brown, high school principal, told the board that “over 90% were in favor of both” allowing cap decorations and expanding cords after staff and student outreach. Brown said staff raised concerns about the logistics of policing designs and potential conflicts with families if a decoration was deemed inappropriate.

Board members discussed alternatives, including stoles to mark academic achievement and limiting the number and prominence of cords so academic recognition remains visible. A board member moved to accept the guidance with the addition of a height restriction and to allow staff to make minor administrative tweaks; the motion carried with no recorded opposition.

The board asked the district’s legal counsel to review the guidance before it is finalized, and staff said the proposal was modeled on policies from other districts. Administration emphasized the proposed change is an internal ceremony guideline rather than an OSBA-mandated policy change, and that further edits could be made before publication.

Next steps: staff will finalize the guidance, incorporate counsel feedback, and circulate the adoptable language to board members. The board’s action signals support for student requests while reserving administrative controls for enforcement and clarity.