As the first semester came to a close, senior meetings began and will occur every month leading up to graduation, starting with the meeting held on January 3rd and 4th with the topic of senior dues presented. 

The senior dues included paying for graduation caps and gowns, fees that contribute to conducting color wars, and the senior trip to Kings Dominion. These dues have become a recurring annual expense for all graduating seniors, as payments are collected in order to make the last semester of high school memorable. 

The total price of these fees comes to an estimated total of $200, including $60 due by February 1st for graduation essentials, $60 by March 1st for color wars, and $80 by April 1st to cover Kings Dominion fees. 

After attending the senior meeting, senior Zach Roth said, “I think [the fee total] is pretty reasonable, because it takes into account graduation and all the stuff you need for graduation. But at the same time, I can see that it can be kind of expensive for some people who can’t afford it.”

Senior class sponsor Ms. Santiago said that the day at Kings Dominion covers, “the transport (to the amusement park), the admission ticket and to eat and drink all day at the kingdom.” This event is not a requirement for all seniors, as it is a choice to participate in the class trip and those not attending are not required to pay this final fee of $80. 

The committee for allocating these prices that senior families pay is, “A group effort between Dr. Brewer, Ms. Beltrane, who is our bookkeeper, and the senior class sponsors, myself and Miss Santiago,” Special Education teacher Katharine Bischoff said. 

With such a large price, some families were concerned about affording to pay these dues by the deadlines. Bischoff said, “We have tried to do our best to keep the cost low for [seniors], but things cost money and the price of things costs more money,” adding that Kings Dominion prices grew with the rise in the economy. 

These fees can be covered for students unable to afford the price by LCPS by filling out a fee waiver form specifically for senior dues. This form can be found on the Dominion High School website under the Resources tab, in the Senior Class page. Every family unable to pay these fees can submit a form and be carefully reviewed by the administration, allowing seniors to still participate in all activities with no cost.