Anyone else disappointed about graduation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't most schools hold it at their own HS?

They have that option. Blair and Damascus opted for it. Most schools didn't.

[Anonymous]

Boy people really lit into me. Clearly I can get up and clearly I’m not saying a word of complaint to the HS but am I not entitled to my feelings that this feels like a schlep for someplace that just feels sort of random and institutional?
I was wondering if I was the only one and o guess I have my answer — I am the only one! I’m still trying to figure out a way to make this special for kid. We have a couple members of our family who are dying right now so won’t be able to invite any family really.

[Anonymous]

I would not bother if your kid doesn't want to, especially if they plan to attend college anyhow . It's seems odd to have to travel all the way to Baltimore to graduate when it could have just been done at the school and actually mean something to the students.

[Anonymous]

The costs to have it your home school are prohibitive. You have to use MCPS contractors (stage, chairs, av etc) and last year, the total cost for our school was approx $30,000(!). MCPS contributes under $10,000 to each school regardless of class size and the school needs to provide the rest from senior fees or other funds. MCPS has rules you have to work within. It’s nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The costs to have it your home school are prohibitive. You have to use MCPS contractors (stage, chairs, av etc) and last year, the total cost for our school was approx $30,000(!). MCPS contributes under $10,000 to each school regardless of class size and the school needs to provide the rest from senior fees or other funds. MCPS has rules you have to work within. It’s nuts.

Sounds like someone should lobby to the BOE to direct more funding to graduations so schools, which have VERY limited funds, aren't on the hook for this stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My senior's graduation is at 9 a.m. on a Wednesday basically in Baltimore. None of us are excited to get up early and drive up to Baltimore for this impersonal graduation, and I don't even want to ask family to do this. My kid is already asking if they can just skip and sleep in. Is there a way to make this celebratory? Go to lunch afterwards?

I am bummed about my kid's too. Also up in Baltimore. Many of us parents wanted it at the school, but the survey the admin sent around was heavily worded to promote Baltimore and discourage at the school. Why bother surveying if you are just going to manipulate the outcome to what you wanted? Oh, well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't most schools hold it at their own HS?

They have that option. Blair and Damascus opted for it. Most schools didn't.

You're at the mercy of the weather but it's great to have the ceremony at school

[Anonymous]

UMBC is not in Baltimore, it’s in Baltimore County. It’s not even that close to Baltimore.

MCPS will no longer pay for UMCP because it’s too expensive and there are no other venues large enough to host students and family members. Earlier poster with mentioning the $30k price tag for holding graduation at school on football field is correct, and you have to worry about rain.

There is no place to have lunch around the UMBC campus. Come back home and go to a favorite restaurant.

UMBC does have a nice campus with ample parking and a nice arena. And for most of us, it requires the same amount of travel time as going into downtown DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:UMBC is not in Baltimore, it’s in Baltimore County. It’s not even that close to Baltimore.

MCPS will no longer pay for UMCP because it’s too expensive and there are no other venues large enough to host students and family members. Earlier poster with mentioning the $30k price tag for holding graduation at school on football field is correct, and you have to worry about rain.

There is no place to have lunch around the UMBC campus. Come back home and go to a favorite restaurant.

UMBC does have a nice campus with ample parking and a nice arena. And for most of us, it requires the same amount of travel time as going into downtown DC.

DC has nice lunch places around and feels more special

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The costs to have it your home school are prohibitive. You have to use MCPS contractors (stage, chairs, av etc) and last year, the total cost for our school was approx $30,000(!). MCPS contributes under $10,000 to each school regardless of class size and the school needs to provide the rest from senior fees or other funds. MCPS has rules you have to work within. It’s nuts.

This. MCPS is an annoyingly large, ridiculous institution with insane rules. We have dealt with their ridiculous MCPS contractor rules for other things (buses, for example) and it's a mess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UMBC is not in Baltimore, it’s in Baltimore County. It’s not even that close to Baltimore.

MCPS will no longer pay for UMCP because it’s too expensive and there are no other venues large enough to host students and family members. Earlier poster with mentioning the $30k price tag for holding graduation at school on football field is correct, and you have to worry about rain.

There is no place to have lunch around the UMBC campus. Come back home and go to a favorite restaurant.

UMBC does have a nice campus with ample parking and a nice arena. And for most of us, it requires the same amount of travel time as going into downtown DC.

DC has nice lunch places around and feels more special

Nothing in DC feels special. You just want to get to DAR and get the hell out of DC ASAP and as fast as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not bother if your kid doesn't want to, especially if they plan to attend college anyhow . It's seems odd to have to travel all the way to Baltimore to graduate when it could have just been done at the school and actually mean something to the students.

It's the last time to be together with classmates you may have been going to school with since you were 5. It was great to hangout and socialize afterwards with the kids, parents and teachers. Our elementary school principal came too. It was great for our family.

[Anonymous]

No wonder kids these days complain so much. Their parents complain about absolutely everything.

Late 90s HS graduate—my older sibling graduated from the GMU auditorium and mine was at my HS on a dreary day. Neither was “personal” because it’s not about a person, it’s about the graduating class. It’s where they can fit everyone, it’s where the most people can get tickets to see the event. My goodness, just accept that some things aren’t going to be to your liking and move on. But no, don’t skip the graduation because you don’t feel like your son should have to wake up early 🙄

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UMBC is not in Baltimore, it’s in Baltimore County. It’s not even that close to Baltimore.

MCPS will no longer pay for UMCP because it’s too expensive and there are no other venues large enough to host students and family members. Earlier poster with mentioning the $30k price tag for holding graduation at school on football field is correct, and you have to worry about rain.

There is no place to have lunch around the UMBC campus. Come back home and go to a favorite restaurant.

UMBC does have a nice campus with ample parking and a nice arena. And for most of us, it requires the same amount of travel time as going into downtown DC.

DC has nice lunch places around and feels more special

Nothing in DC feels special. You just want to get to DAR and get the hell out of DC ASAP and as fast as possible.

You need to chill. DC is a lovely city. Taking graduation pictures by the monuments and reflecting pool is priceless

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UMBC is not in Baltimore, it’s in Baltimore County. It’s not even that close to Baltimore.

MCPS will no longer pay for UMCP because it’s too expensive and there are no other venues large enough to host students and family members. Earlier poster with mentioning the $30k price tag for holding graduation at school on football field is correct, and you have to worry about rain.

There is no place to have lunch around the UMBC campus. Come back home and go to a favorite restaurant.

UMBC does have a nice campus with ample parking and a nice arena. And for most of us, it requires the same amount of travel time as going into downtown DC.

DC has nice lunch places around and feels more special

Nothing in DC feels special. You just want to get to DAR and get the hell out of DC ASAP and as fast as possible.

You need to chill. DC is a lovely city. Taking graduation pictures by the monuments and reflecting pool is priceless

It really isn’t priceless, but you do you. Take them in advance or some time after graduation just like plenty of kids do.