Cost of Graduation

[Anonymous]

How much does MCPMess pay for using other venues for graduation?

Would that money actually be saved if it was done on the football field?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much does MCPMess pay for using other venues for graduation?

Would that money actually be saved if it was done on the football field?

They (schools/PTSA/parents) say more to have it on the field, rental of equipment etc. Folks involved with the school's sports boosters happy if they hold it on field though.

[Anonymous]

On one of the many other threads about this, someone quoted the price of having it on the home field as $30K per school.

[Anonymous]

Discussed over and over on the other thread (which is now locked):
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1196729.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much does MCPMess pay for using other venues for graduation?

Would that money actually be saved if it was done on the football field?

They (schools/PTSA/parents) say more to have it on the field, rental of equipment etc. Folks involved with the school's sports boosters happy if they hold it on field though.

Why? It’s not like they get the money.

[Anonymous]

My DC’s school held graduation on the field. I graduated at Constitution Hall (just after electricity was installed). Here to tell you that a home field graduation in the DC area in late May/early June is a mixed bag.

Pluses:
You can invite as many people as you want. There is no scrambling for extra tickets, no hurt feelings, no B list. It feels more personal. Parking is easy (and often free). Quicker and easier to get there and back.

Cons:
It’s the Washington area in summer. Even if you hold festivities in the morning, you run the risk of thunderstorms, heat, and/or humidity interrupting or changing plans. You can’t tent an entire football field and bleachers. Several grandparents at DC’s ceremony had to have EMT medical attention and/or someone to take them inside to the a/c. Scores more people wound up incredibly sunburned. Sitting on bleachers for two hours is tough for anyone over age 21. Navigating bleachers is tough for anyone over age 21, those who need ADA accommodations, etc.

This is not the instant cost savings, “everyone’s happy” move that you think it is. Think long and hard about advocating for the switch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC’s school held graduation on the field. I graduated at Constitution Hall (just after electricity was installed). Here to tell you that a home field graduation in the DC area in late May/early June is a mixed bag.

Pluses:
You can invite as many people as you want. There is no scrambling for extra tickets, no hurt feelings, no B list. It feels more personal. Parking is easy (and often free). Quicker and easier to get there and back.

Cons:
It’s the Washington area in summer. Even if you hold festivities in the morning, you run the risk of thunderstorms, heat, and/or humidity interrupting or changing plans. You can’t tent an entire football field and bleachers. Several grandparents at DC’s ceremony had to have EMT medical attention and/or someone to take them inside to the a/c. Scores more people wound up incredibly sunburned. Sitting on bleachers for two hours is tough for anyone over age 21. Navigating bleachers is tough for anyone over age 21, those who need ADA accommodations, etc.

This is not the instant cost savings, “everyone’s happy” move that you think it is. Think long and hard about advocating for the switch.

Would note that stadium sizes vary heavily. At our school they could only offer two tickets per family when they did it in the stadium.

[Anonymous]

It's way more expensive to have a home graduation then to rent a space.

[Anonymous]

On the renting space topic, do we know why they went with UMBC as an option vs College Park? I thought McPs used to use UMD as a site. Am I misremembering?

[Anonymous]

UMd raised its costs