Why is our graduation at Eagle Bank???!!!

[Anonymous]

GMU is not an option for the schools that graduate at DAR. There is no more space there to graduate by the deadline (FCPS is not the only county that uses it). My kid just graduated and we’ve asked all of the questions you’re asking here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t graduation at the schools football stadiums? That’s how most of us do it.

x10000

Now THAT is actual tradition.

Not here where you get afternoon/evening thunderstorms, heat warnings or, like today, air quality issues. Then the back up is the school gym with maybe 1 spectator per student, the rest in classrooms watching on CCTV.

One LHS taxpayer alone could easily cover the cost of suitable covering of the bleachers. Fairfax county is run poorly because it is simply too big to be efficient. Plus, the whiny few dictate the setting and precedent, not the needs of the many. Also, sheer lack of common sense is prevelant. So, DAR it is.

Not the PP to whom you're responding and not an LHS parent but...This post is boneheaded and privileged at the same time. "One LHS taxpayer alone could easily cover the cost" to somehow "cover the bleachers" with, what, an awning? You know this would need to be competitively contracted, it's not as cheap as you imagine it is (even for that super rich "one LHS taxpayer" donor you imagine) and the one day the awning gets stuck open would be graduation day...I get it, you hate DAR. So join with other parents to lobby to use GMU, instead of waiting for one sugar daddy donor to make your magical day happen the way you picture it.

And no "cover" for outdoor bleachers makes much difference when the temperature and humidity are high. Sure, you can block some sun. But in 90-plus heat with this area's intense humidity, or during a thunderstorm, it won't help. Storms will still force everyone indoors due to lightning risk; lightning doesn't care about your "cover" unless it's an actual roof. Do you even really live in this area, that you don't know all this already?

Other schools graduate in their own stadiums. Annandale, Fairfax, probably others. It would be easy enough to schedule them in the morning for when heat and humidity and thunderstorms aren’t an issue if everyone did their own. Worst case it moves inside and everyone could still have multiple guests. Our gym holds the entire school, the graduating class would be on the floor, so at least 4 guests per student.

Not sure why the policy isn’t the same for everyone.

Bonus: it would save money.

+1

This.

How much is it to use DAR?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GMU is not an option for the schools that graduate at DAR. There is no more space there to graduate by the deadline (FCPS is not the only county that uses it). My kid just graduated and we’ve asked all of the questions you’re asking here.

No more space at DAR or Eagle Bank?

Asked which questions?

Why is FCPS so afraid of change?

[Anonymous]

I've still got two years to worry about it, but this thread has me considering getting a hotel room in DC for the night before graduation, especially if we have the early time slot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:GMU is not an option for the schools that graduate at DAR. There is no more space there to graduate by the deadline (FCPS is not the only county that uses it). My kid just graduated and we’ve asked all of the questions you’re asking here.

No more space at DAR or Eagle Bank?

Asked which questions?

Why is FCPS so afraid of change?

No more space at GMU.

How is FCPS afraid of change? There have been tons of changes since my kids started in FCPS 13 years ago (early release Mondays, school calendar, report card format, etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've still got two years to worry about it, but this thread has me considering getting a hotel room in DC for the night before graduation, especially if we have the early time slot.

We had the early slot yesterday at left our house at 8:00 am. We were in our seats by 9:20. You don’t need to arrive the night before lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've still got two years to worry about it, but this thread has me considering getting a hotel room in DC for the night before graduation, especially if we have the early time slot.

We had the early slot yesterday at left our house at 8:00 am. We were in our seats by 9:20. You don’t need to arrive the night before lol.

Maybe not, but my kid and I like to do random overnights so it’s a fun excuse!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've still got two years to worry about it, but this thread has me considering getting a hotel room in DC for the night before graduation, especially if we have the early time slot.

We had the early slot yesterday at left our house at 8:00 am. We were in our seats by 9:20. You don’t need to arrive the night before lol.

How did you know to leave two hours ahead?

And from where??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've still got two years to worry about it, but this thread has me considering getting a hotel room in DC for the night before graduation, especially if we have the early time slot.

We had the early slot yesterday at left our house at 8:00 am. We were in our seats by 9:20. You don’t need to arrive the night before lol.

How did you know to leave two hours ahead?

And from where??

We live in Vienna near Madison and I left two hours early because I didn't want to be late lol. No one told me to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t graduation at the schools football stadiums? That’s how most of us do it.

x10000

Now THAT is actual tradition.

Not here where you get afternoon/evening thunderstorms, heat warnings or, like today, air quality issues. Then the back up is the school gym with maybe 1 spectator per student, the rest in classrooms watching on CCTV.

One LHS taxpayer alone could easily cover the cost of suitable covering of the bleachers. Fairfax county is run poorly because it is simply too big to be efficient. Plus, the whiny few dictate the setting and precedent, not the needs of the many. Also, sheer lack of common sense is prevelant. So, DAR it is.

I'm the PP who said there's no room at GMU. It's not cheaper to hold the graduation on the school field because they have to rent a lot of equipment to do so. It's cheaper to go in with three other schools and have the graduation at DAR.

Not the PP to whom you're responding and not an LHS parent but...This post is boneheaded and privileged at the same time. "One LHS taxpayer alone could easily cover the cost" to somehow "cover the bleachers" with, what, an awning? You know this would need to be competitively contracted, it's not as cheap as you imagine it is (even for that super rich "one LHS taxpayer" donor you imagine) and the one day the awning gets stuck open would be graduation day...I get it, you hate DAR. So join with other parents to lobby to use GMU, instead of waiting for one sugar daddy donor to make your magical day happen the way you picture it.

And no "cover" for outdoor bleachers makes much difference when the temperature and humidity are high. Sure, you can block some sun. But in 90-plus heat with this area's intense humidity, or during a thunderstorm, it won't help. Storms will still force everyone indoors due to lightning risk; lightning doesn't care about your "cover" unless it's an actual roof. Do you even really live in this area, that you don't know all this already?

Other schools graduate in their own stadiums. Annandale, Fairfax, probably others. It would be easy enough to schedule them in the morning for when heat and humidity and thunderstorms aren’t an issue if everyone did their own. Worst case it moves inside and everyone could still have multiple guests. Our gym holds the entire school, the graduating class would be on the floor, so at least 4 guests per student.

Not sure why the policy isn’t the same for everyone.

Bonus: it would save money.

+1

This.

How much is it to use DAR?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren’t graduation at the schools football stadiums? That’s how most of us do it.

x10000

Now THAT is actual tradition.

Not here where you get afternoon/evening thunderstorms, heat warnings or, like today, air quality issues. Then the back up is the school gym with maybe 1 spectator per student, the rest in classrooms watching on CCTV.

One LHS taxpayer alone could easily cover the cost of suitable covering of the bleachers. Fairfax county is run poorly because it is simply too big to be efficient. Plus, the whiny few dictate the setting and precedent, not the needs of the many. Also, sheer lack of common sense is prevelant. So, DAR it is.

Not the PP to whom you're responding and not an LHS parent but...This post is boneheaded and privileged at the same time. "One LHS taxpayer alone could easily cover the cost" to somehow "cover the bleachers" with, what, an awning? You know this would need to be competitively contracted, it's not as cheap as you imagine it is (even for that super rich "one LHS taxpayer" donor you imagine) and the one day the awning gets stuck open would be graduation day...I get it, you hate DAR. So join with other parents to lobby to use GMU, instead of waiting for one sugar daddy donor to make your magical day happen the way you picture it.

And no "cover" for outdoor bleachers makes much difference when the temperature and humidity are high. Sure, you can block some sun. But in 90-plus heat with this area's intense humidity, or during a thunderstorm, it won't help. Storms will still force everyone indoors due to lightning risk; lightning doesn't care about your "cover" unless it's an actual roof. Do you even really live in this area, that you don't know all this already?

Other schools graduate in their own stadiums. Annandale, Fairfax, probably others. It would be easy enough to schedule them in the morning for when heat and humidity and thunderstorms aren’t an issue if everyone did their own. Worst case it moves inside and everyone could still have multiple guests. Our gym holds the entire school, the graduating class would be on the floor, so at least 4 guests per student.

Not sure why the policy isn’t the same for everyone.

Bonus: it would save money.

+1

This.

How much is it to use DAR?

I'm the PP who said there's no room at GMU and parents my kid's year asked all the questions. It's not cheaper to hold the graduation on the school field because they have to rent a lot of equipment to do so. It's cheaper to go in with three other schools and have the graduation at DAR.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've still got two years to worry about it, but this thread has me considering getting a hotel room in DC for the night before graduation, especially if we have the early time slot.

We had the early slot yesterday at left our house at 8:00 am. We were in our seats by 9:20. You don’t need to arrive the night before lol.

How did you know to leave two hours ahead?

And from where??

Not the PP, but they tell you that for a 10:00 ceremony, the doors open at 9:00, and seating is first-come, first-served, so mot people aim to arrive by 9:00.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've still got two years to worry about it, but this thread has me considering getting a hotel room in DC for the night before graduation, especially if we have the early time slot.

We had the early slot yesterday at left our house at 8:00 am. We were in our seats by 9:20. You don’t need to arrive the night before lol.

How did you know to leave two hours ahead?

And from where??

Not the PP, but they tell you that for a 10:00 ceremony, the doors open at 9:00, and seating is first-come, first-served, so mot people aim to arrive by 9:00.

And the nearest parking is a 10-15 minute walk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, be grateful. It took many parents two hours to get in, get parking, and get into the building - these are people who live 20 minutes away.

There is mad construction at every turn, and one important fact to note: DAR Constitution Hall does NOT admit you if you are late! You have to wait until well after Pomp and Circumstance (you will miss your graduate/s entering the venue), and after the Pledge of Allegiance, etc. If you are late.

The doors are literally locked and staff will not let you in until well into the ceremony. Plan accordingly!

Seems like a no-brainer to just take an Uber.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually, almost no FCPS schools graduate at DAR - only four. The majority graduate at Eagle Bank.

Given the stories I've heard about traffic, timing, accessibility, etc. I'd actually prefer my kid wasn't going to be graduating at DAR (my older one graduated at Jiffy Lube Live due to COVID and, name aside, I thought it was a great choice). The grass is always greener, I suppose.

+1

Jiffy Lube was the only good idea FCPS has ever (EVER) had.

Except for "Jiffy Lube Live" on the graduation programs. Shudder.

My kid graduated two years ago at Jiffy Lube Live and I can promise you that I haven’t looked at the program since. I barely looked at it that day other than brief glances to see where we were in the schedule; I had better things to think about. It’s not like it says Jiffy Lube Live on DCs diploma, which is the paper that matters.

But still.

JLL was ten times better than DAR Constitution Hall, for the record. Not one person in my party was impressed by having the ceremony at DAR Constitution Hall - yet, people STILL talk about how EASY JLL was - to get in and out, to get seats, how great it was to be in a big, wide open venue. JLL is just a better idea, all around.

Ugh. I would want either DAR or Eagle Bank. Definitely not Jiffy Lube Live.