12th Grade Parent Meeting Notes – April 23, 2013 – 7:15 pm
Important Dates
Senior Internships/Projects
5/20/13-6/19/13
Senior Prom
6/8/13-Hyatt Hotel 7pm-11pm
Senior Awards
6/10/13 GHS Auditorium 7pm
Greenwich Scholarship Awards
6/13/13 GHS Auditorium 7pm
Compass Night
6/11/13 GHS Student Center
Graduation Ceremony
6/21/13 GHS Stadium 6:30pm
Graduation Party
6/21/13 GHS Student Center 10pm-2am
 Senior Spring Activities/Graduation Procedures – Diane Chiappetta-Fox –
Director of Student Activities
o Senior Prom
 Saturday, June 8, 2013 – 7:00 to 11:00 pm at Greenwich Hyatt
 $65/ticket
 Very successful SRO helped reduce ticket prices
 If participated in SRO, will receive $10 off ticket price
 Canned food drive for Neighbor to Neighbor, students will
receive $1off prom ticket price for cans of food brought
o Cap and Gowns
 Order forms were sent home in January 2013
 Can still order in Student Activities – there will be a late fee
 Students may keep their cap and gown after graduation
o Graduation Packet
 Mailed home in the beginning of June
 If the student has a double mailing address, they will receive 1
graduation packet at each address for a total of 6 tickets to use
in the event of rain
 Contains graduation announcements that students can use to
send to family members
 Contains 3 rain tickets in case ceremony is indoors (tickets are
for 3 family members; student does not require a ticket)
 Contains info on how to purchase DVD of ceremony and photos
of students receiving diploma/shaking hands with House
Administrator (every student has a photo taken so parents do
not need to worry about getting a photo)
 Additional announcements may be purchased in Student
Activities for $2 each
o Graduation Ceremony
 Friday, June 21, 2013 – 6:30 pm – GHS Cardinal Stadium
 Families with students in Bella and Clark Houses sit on the
“Visitor” side of the stadium
 Families with students in Cantor, Folsom and Sheldon Houses
sit on the “Home” side of the stadium
Seating is on a first come, first served basis
Unlimited number of seats/family if outdoors
Keep in mind that it is a long difficult walk from the parking
areas to the stadium for some family members. American Red
Cross has wheelchairs available to borrow.
 Carpooling is suggested – students should be dropped off by
family
 Girls should not wear high heels if ceremony is outside (they
can ruin the turf in the stadium)
 Students should wear nice but comfortable clothes since it may
be hot and they will be outside for 1 ½ hours
 If weather becomes a problem, then notification will be made
by 3:00 pm that day – will announce on WGCH and on GHS
website
 If ceremony has to be moved indoors, then it will be in the GHS
gymnasium (seating for 1500) and there will be 2 separate
ceremonies.
 First ceremony is at 5:00 pm for students with last names
starting with L through Z
 Second ceremony is at 7:15 pm for students with last names
starting with A through K
 Families have 3 tickets each for seating in the gymnasium
(students do not require a ticket)
 Additional family members can view the ceremony from a live
feed in the GHS auditorium with A/C, this is only if it is raining
 No tickets required to sit in the auditorium. Seating is on a first
come, first served basis.
 Students must report back to their houses after the ceremony
to receive their actual diplomas.
 Families should not go with students to the houses. They
should make a pre-arranged meeting place with their student
once they have their diploma.
o Graduation Rehearsal
 Mandatory Rehearsal on Thursday, June 20, 2012 – 12:15 pm
 Students should report to their homerooms at 12:15 pm
 Will rehearse the Processional/Recessional
 Will pick up their caps and gowns
 Must have an “ALL CLEAR” slip to graduate. Slips are given out
by the House Secretary prior to student going on their Senior
Internship
 Students must have met all class obligations, returned all
books/materials, uniforms, paid any dues/late fees, etc. to
receive this slip
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 Senior Projects, Internships and Choosing from Accepted Colleges – Judith
Nedell – Director of Guidance
o College Process
 Post High School Plan – If your child needs help with their
decision, GHS counselors are available.
 May 1st, National Decision Day
 Once you have made your deposit, it is nice to have your child
send an email or call the colleges they are not attending
 Websites to help in college decision process:
 1. College Scorecard - The White House
 2. Naviance
 3. College Board
 4. NACAC – National Association for College Admission
Counselors
o Senior Internships
 Meetings held in Houses on May 1st, 2nd and 3rd at 7:10 am for
students to pick up information on what site they have been
placed at and who their mentor is
 Students who have a self designed internship must also attend
these meetings
 For students doing an internship, completion of that internship
is a graduation requirement (educational opportunity). The
internship must be completed in full to graduate
 Students must complete all course requirements before leaving
on internships
 Every internship site is assigned a Faculty Mentor
 Students must contact their mentors by e-mail
 Mentors will be in contact with the sites
 Students should contact their mentors if they are having
problems with their site
 Students are required to work 30 hours/week at their
internship site
 Site can determine what days/hours the student has to be
there as long as they meet the 30 hours/week requirement
 If a student is ill and cannot make it to the site, then they are
responsible for making up those hours (*Must have worked the
30 hours/week every week in order to meet the requirements
and graduate)
 Students should call the site directly if out ill and should not
call GHS
 Students are not required to come back for Final Exams
 Internships end on Wednesday June 19, 2013
Senior Projects
 All projects must be approved by the Dean of Student Life and
Committee
 Students should have already met with them and gotten this
approval
 Students will be given permission to drop certain classes
during this time. However, they must still attend any classes
that have not been approved to drop.
 Students are not required to be at GHS during this time, unless
they have a specific class to attend
 Students will present their projects at the end of the four
weeks
o Senior Awards
 Letter will be sent home during the last week of May to all
students who have received an award
 Ceremony will be on June 10, 2013 at 7:00 pm GHS Auditorium
 PTA Update – Jennifer Meredith & Blakely Stinebaugh – PTA Co-Presidents
Graduation Party – Friday, June 21, 2013 – 10:00 pm to 2:00 am – GHS
Student Center
o Sponsored by GHS, funded by donations accepted by PTA.
o Very fun event and well attended in previous years (75% last year)
o Students reconnect after internships
o Very safe – students will be given a breathalyzer test upon entering
o Arcade games, inflatable games, DJ, photo booth
o Food and drinks are provided
o Prizes are given out
o Chaperones are parents of GHS juniors, sophomores, and freshmen
o Still in need of cash and in-kind donations
o Party costs $25,000
o PTA donates $3,500
o Last PTA Meeting Wednesday May 29, Noon, lunch served, will vote
on next year’s board and budget
o Paint the Town Red at Richard’s was a success, but numbers down
from last year, will not affect next year’s spending
 Headmaster’s Update – Chris Winters – GHS Headmaster
o Very exciting time for seniors
o This class special since it was his first Freshman class as Headmaster
o They have taken it upon themselves to increase GHS School Spirit
o SRO was a great event and made money for the class
o WEATHER! Fall parent meeting cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy,
SRO held on a snow day…Will not rain on Graduation!
o Students exhibit leadership throughout the school
o GHS students win top awards and honors in numerous areas
o Graduation Party is a great time for students and they should be
encouraged to attend. A very safe place for them to be.
o Remind students that this is the wrong time in life to make a bad
decision. They do not want to jeopardize graduation or internships
o At GHS Graduation all students are treated equally. There are a few
speeches but no special awards. Ceremony runs smoothly
o Stressful time for students not only college, but the world is changing
around us, Boston bombing/Lockdown/Newtown
o Lockdown terrifying, but went well, GHS learned some things to
improve and GHS is helping students feel safe. Talk to your child
about these stresses
o Mr. Winters will miss this class
Respectfully submitted by Kelley Moore