Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 14:33     Subject: Re:UMBC for graduation?????
Omg, I am so relieved, I might cry. I have twins graduating from different MCPS high schools this year. Some years the ceremonies for these schools were held in different locations on the same day and attending both would have been impossible. I’ve been worried about this for years. If all ceremonies are held in the same venue, there can’t be conflicts. All these years of their BTSN, homecoming, etc., being scheduled on the same nights are forgiven. This is a HUGE relief.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 14:06     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
UMBC is fine for graduation, UMD and DAR are logistically challenging, and DAR’s size limited the number of tickets families could have.

I haven’t seen the letter but would hope MCPS would support families that need transportation. Maybe run busses from the HS to campus?
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 14:01     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Total agree with the post that says “not personal” because for some of us it will feel like a factory and rushed. BEFORE you jump on me - not all MCPS schools are huge. Damascus does graduation at their football field because that is what the parents want. Poolesville did theirs at Mount St Mary’s which is perfect for the Poolesville school location. Yeah we are small towns and want a smaller feel but it was taken away from us because it’s always about the bigger schools.

Totally agree about not using DAR and I agree UMBC is a good location but not for all.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 13:57     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I was not a fan of the UMBC graduation. It felt very unspecial. Maybe especially so because we had the morning slot in the middle of the week -- we had to get up really really early and fight rush hour traiffc and didn't invite the younger sibs or aunts/uncles because it would have meant everyone missing a whole day of school/work (more if they had to travel). So it was just like basically driving out to the middle of nowhere to go to a building that felt like a warehouse and sit there and listen to some politicians speak. I guess it all flows from the fact that these high schools are just so enormous and impersonal. I remember my own public HS graduation and it was a Friday night at our own HS -- so felt like our sort of last hurrah at the school. I had nephews graduate from a small public HS in a small town and they did it basically at the town hall and it was a big local event. Our UMBC graduation basically felt like a very impersonal warehouse. Maybe a fitting end to the MCPS experience.

But in the general gist of all the things that are going wrong with the world, this ranks below the top million things I'm concerned about.



It is being used to promote the UMBC campus to MCPS graduates as a direction for college. Sending all MCPS graduates and parents up there is to promote the use of UMBC since MCPS grads can’t reliably get into UM College Park anymore. This was set up in closed door negotiations.


You sound ridiculous. College Park costs more. That is why they quit using.


That is not how they started using it.

It is a no bid, non compete deal. No RFP.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 13:55     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I was not a fan of the UMBC graduation. It felt very unspecial. Maybe especially so because we had the morning slot in the middle of the week -- we had to get up really really early and fight rush hour traiffc and didn't invite the younger sibs or aunts/uncles because it would have meant everyone missing a whole day of school/work (more if they had to travel). So it was just like basically driving out to the middle of nowhere to go to a building that felt like a warehouse and sit there and listen to some politicians speak. I guess it all flows from the fact that these high schools are just so enormous and impersonal. I remember my own public HS graduation and it was a Friday night at our own HS -- so felt like our sort of last hurrah at the school. I had nephews graduate from a small public HS in a small town and they did it basically at the town hall and it was a big local event. Our UMBC graduation basically felt like a very impersonal warehouse. Maybe a fitting end to the MCPS experience.

But in the general gist of all the things that are going wrong with the world, this ranks below the top million things I'm concerned about.



It is being used to promote the UMBC campus to MCPS graduates as a direction for college. Sending all MCPS graduates and parents up there is to promote the use of UMBC since MCPS grads can’t reliably get into UM College Park anymore. This was set up in closed door negotiations.


Maybe that's a meaningful tool for families who have younger kids, but seniors already have their plans made well before graduation.

We are a family who did DAR, outdoor football stadium with social distancing and only parents permitted to attend, and UMBC. UMBC was by far the best. We were mid week in the morning with another class right behind us. It was a beautiful ceremony and the venue was perfect. Afterwards the kids and families hung around outside taking photos and saying good bye to their friends.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 13:54     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I was not a fan of the UMBC graduation. It felt very unspecial. Maybe especially so because we had the morning slot in the middle of the week -- we had to get up really really early and fight rush hour traiffc and didn't invite the younger sibs or aunts/uncles because it would have meant everyone missing a whole day of school/work (more if they had to travel). So it was just like basically driving out to the middle of nowhere to go to a building that felt like a warehouse and sit there and listen to some politicians speak. I guess it all flows from the fact that these high schools are just so enormous and impersonal. I remember my own public HS graduation and it was a Friday night at our own HS -- so felt like our sort of last hurrah at the school. I had nephews graduate from a small public HS in a small town and they did it basically at the town hall and it was a big local event. Our UMBC graduation basically felt like a very impersonal warehouse. Maybe a fitting end to the MCPS experience.

But in the general gist of all the things that are going wrong with the world, this ranks below the top million things I'm concerned about.



It is being used to promote the UMBC campus to MCPS graduates as a direction for college. Sending all MCPS graduates and parents up there is to promote the use of UMBC since MCPS grads can’t reliably get into UM College Park anymore. This was set up in closed door negotiations.


You sound ridiculous. College Park costs more. That is why they quit using.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 13:53     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:I was not a fan of the UMBC graduation. It felt very unspecial. Maybe especially so because we had the morning slot in the middle of the week -- we had to get up really really early and fight rush hour traiffc and didn't invite the younger sibs or aunts/uncles because it would have meant everyone missing a whole day of school/work (more if they had to travel). So it was just like basically driving out to the middle of nowhere to go to a building that felt like a warehouse and sit there and listen to some politicians speak. I guess it all flows from the fact that these high schools are just so enormous and impersonal. I remember my own public HS graduation and it was a Friday night at our own HS -- so felt like our sort of last hurrah at the school. I had nephews graduate from a small public HS in a small town and they did it basically at the town hall and it was a big local event. Our UMBC graduation basically felt like a very impersonal warehouse. Maybe a fitting end to the MCPS experience.

But in the general gist of all the things that are going wrong with the world, this ranks below the top million things I'm concerned about.


You should move back to your small town and have a "special graduation." This is MCPS. Our highschools are enormous and impersonal. I'm not sure why that is UMBC's fault. DAR is a massive PIA.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 13:49     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I was not a fan of the UMBC graduation. It felt very unspecial. Maybe especially so because we had the morning slot in the middle of the week -- we had to get up really really early and fight rush hour traiffc and didn't invite the younger sibs or aunts/uncles because it would have meant everyone missing a whole day of school/work (more if they had to travel). So it was just like basically driving out to the middle of nowhere to go to a building that felt like a warehouse and sit there and listen to some politicians speak. I guess it all flows from the fact that these high schools are just so enormous and impersonal. I remember my own public HS graduation and it was a Friday night at our own HS -- so felt like our sort of last hurrah at the school. I had nephews graduate from a small public HS in a small town and they did it basically at the town hall and it was a big local event. Our UMBC graduation basically felt like a very impersonal warehouse. Maybe a fitting end to the MCPS experience.

But in the general gist of all the things that are going wrong with the world, this ranks below the top million things I'm concerned about.



It is being used to promote the UMBC campus to MCPS graduates as a direction for college. Sending all MCPS graduates and parents up there is to promote the use of UMBC since MCPS grads can’t reliably get into UM College Park anymore. This was set up in closed door negotiations.


I believe it and this makes sense. One Maryland, working together.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 13:46     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:I was not a fan of the UMBC graduation. It felt very unspecial. Maybe especially so because we had the morning slot in the middle of the week -- we had to get up really really early and fight rush hour traiffc and didn't invite the younger sibs or aunts/uncles because it would have meant everyone missing a whole day of school/work (more if they had to travel). So it was just like basically driving out to the middle of nowhere to go to a building that felt like a warehouse and sit there and listen to some politicians speak. I guess it all flows from the fact that these high schools are just so enormous and impersonal. I remember my own public HS graduation and it was a Friday night at our own HS -- so felt like our sort of last hurrah at the school. I had nephews graduate from a small public HS in a small town and they did it basically at the town hall and it was a big local event. Our UMBC graduation basically felt like a very impersonal warehouse. Maybe a fitting end to the MCPS experience.

But in the general gist of all the things that are going wrong with the world, this ranks below the top million things I'm concerned about.



It is being used to promote the UMBC campus to MCPS graduates as a direction for college. Sending all MCPS graduates and parents up there is to promote the use of UMBC since MCPS grads can’t reliably get into UM College Park anymore. This was set up in closed door negotiations.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 13:38     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Many public schools are moving away from graduations at DAR this year. Not sure why.


Might have to do with the militarization of the federal government and concerns for undocumented Hispanic families with potentially being raided by ICE during their kids graduation.


OMG you're so dumb. DAR is way too small and hasn't been used for years for the largest MCPS high schools.

Just... think before you type. You're making the left look bad.


It was used by plenty of MCPS high schools last school year, genius: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/graduation/

Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 13:38     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
I was not a fan of the UMBC graduation. It felt very unspecial. Maybe especially so because we had the morning slot in the middle of the week -- we had to get up really really early and fight rush hour traiffc and didn't invite the younger sibs or aunts/uncles because it would have meant everyone missing a whole day of school/work (more if they had to travel). So it was just like basically driving out to the middle of nowhere to go to a building that felt like a warehouse and sit there and listen to some politicians speak. I guess it all flows from the fact that these high schools are just so enormous and impersonal. I remember my own public HS graduation and it was a Friday night at our own HS -- so felt like our sort of last hurrah at the school. I had nephews graduate from a small public HS in a small town and they did it basically at the town hall and it was a big local event. Our UMBC graduation basically felt like a very impersonal warehouse. Maybe a fitting end to the MCPS experience.

But in the general gist of all the things that are going wrong with the world, this ranks below the top million things I'm concerned about.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 12:59     Subject: Re:UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How was the message sent? I'm a parent of a senior and haven't received anything.


My kid's principal (at Blake) just emailed it with the date and time info of graduation. I'm guessing each high school will be sending it out soon.

the dates and times have been decided already? This is early! My eldest graduated 2 years ago and we didn't find out until mid-December. Last year they found out in mid-late October, correct? Looking forward to receiving my principal's message with the date and time.

UMBC is a fine place for graduation.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 12:44     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Many public schools are moving away from graduations at DAR this year. Not sure why.


Might have to do with the militarization of the federal government and concerns for undocumented Hispanic families with potentially being raided by ICE during their kids graduation.


I'm sure this was part of it.


Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 12:43     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:UMBC has been used for YEARS. My kid had his graduation ceremony there in 2023, and even then it wasn't new. It's because graduating classes are huge and smaller venues mean parking nightmares and very few tickets to each family.

Can you please inform yourself before looking stupid on DCUM?



Yes, UMBC has been used by MCPS schools for graduation before but this is the first time ALL MCPS High Schools will be at one venue.

The email is also claiming cost savings for school budgets, since it's being booked centrally. I'd like to see what that looks like.


Good development, it means Central Office finally got their act together and realized it could negotiate a discount per graduation if it booked a ton of them at UMBC.

Which doesn't take away from the fact that OP shouldn't have whined on DCUM. It's been well-known for a number of years that MCPS often holds graduations there, because it's a large, air-conditioned space with ample parking. We got 6 tickets per graduating student. You can't get that if you hold the graduation at school, or in another, smaller location.
Anonymous
Post 10/03/2025 12:43     Subject: UMBC for graduation?????
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Many public schools are moving away from graduations at DAR this year. Not sure why.


Might have to do with the militarization of the federal government and concerns for undocumented Hispanic families with potentially being raided by ICE during their kids graduation.


I'm sure this was part of it.