2021 Graduation Information

5/12/2021 8:32 am

Contact Debbi Bettinger for questions regarding this year's graduation event

Diploma Cover Presentation Ceremony is Tomorrow – May 26th!

Hello 8th Grade Parents,

The big day is almost here, so it’s time for some final tips and reminders.

First, if you missed the memory board deadline yesterday, please get your memory board to the RMS Office by 3:00 pm today!

By now you have chosen your timeslot for the drive-through, but if not, or if you have forgotten your time, please reference the Signup Genius.

Diploma Cover Presentation Reminders

Make sure the student can easily exit and enter the vehicle
Make sure the photographer in your vehicle is seated to get the best view/pictures
Only ONE car per student is allowed (additional family and friends can view the ceremony via the live stream – more information below)
Family members must remain in the car at all times
Do not arrive more than 15 minutes early
Caravan with friends you’ve signed up with – there will be no jockeying cars in line once you’re through the gate

Check Points

Check points will be designated by signs and balloons
- At check point #1 the student will receive a 3x5 card with their name as it will be read by the announcer and included in the virtual graduation video – this is your chance to correct it as needed
- Check points with balloon towers will be manned by teachers distributing the take-home gifts
- Be sure to stop and check out the memory boards along the route

Exit the Vehicle Check Point

The student will exit the vehicle at the designated check point sign that says “Exit the Vehicle”, wearing a mask and carrying the 3x5 card they received at check point #1
They will be handed their diploma cover
They will walk to the top of the stairs and stop, hand their name card to the announcer, and remove their mask
They will then walk to the center of the stage and stop, holding their diploma cover for their family/friends to see/photograph. Suggest to them they count in their head to 10 before exiting, so hopefully that will give you enough time to capture your photos.
They will then exit from the opposite end of the stage
At the bottom of the stairs they will have their picture taken by the professional photographer
They will put their mask back on and return to their vehicle
Please be sure to keep moving forward to allow the students behind you to have their turn

Tomorrow’s event will be live-streamed via YouTube at the following URL: https://youtu.be/7XbClZC8Poo. This is the link you may share with family and friends to view the event live tomorrow. Please do NOT post this URL on any social media apps, such as FaceBook, Instragram, etc., as we don’t want to risk any potential issues with nefarious persons crashing our site.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Debbi Bettinger.

We hope you and your student enjoy celebrating this time-honored tradition and recognition of this milestone in their educational journey.

We’ll see you tomorrow!

Graduation Reminders!

Memory Boards: Completed memory boards are due to the RMS office by 3pm on Monday, May 24th. Email Debbi Bettinger if you would like to pick up a poster board from her (supplies are limited). Click here and go to 14:20 in the video for memory board requirements and examples.

Student Signup Genius: Please use this link to sign up your student for their time slot for the May 26th Diploma Cover Presentation Ceremony.

Donation Request: There is still time to make a donation to help defray the costs of bringing the fun party atmosphere to the diploma cover presentation ceremony. Please visit the Redwood PTA Website today.

Signup Genius Links and Shirt Size Deadline

Student Signup Genius: Please use this link to sign up your student for their time slot for the May 26th Diploma Cover Presentation Ceremony.

Parent Signup Genius: Please use this link to sign up yourself for a volunteer time slot to help the committee the day of the Diploma Cover Presentation Ceremony.

Shirt Size Final Deadline: Please note, if you have not yet submitted your student's shirt size information, you have until midnight tonight to do so! Submissions after midnight tonight will be subject to availability the day of the event. Please visit the Redwood PTA Website to submit the shirt size and/or make a donation to help cover the costs of the ceremony.

If you have any questions or issues, please email Debbi Bettinger.

Diploma Cover Presentation Ceremony Webinar, Q&A, and Yearbook Orders

May 5th

The school year is quickly coming to an end. We are sad to see our 8th grade Griffins leaving us but we are excited for what their future holds.

To celebrate our Griffins grads, the PTA graduation committee has been diligently working to put together a socially distanced drive-thru graduation. Last night, PTA hosted a Zoom webinar where Debbi Bettinger presented detailed information, needs, and expectations to the community about the drive-thru graduation. If you were unable to attend, you can view the webinar by clicking here. There was also an opportunity for Q&A which can be found by clicking here.

Don't forget you can make your donation for the Diplomas Cover Presentation Ceremony and provide your student’s shirt size by visiting the Redwood Middle School PTA.

You may order a yearbook for your graduating Griffin by clicking here. The yearbooks will be available for pick-up in mid-late June. Pick-up dates and detailed information will be shared with the community once we receive the yearbooks from the vendor.

Donation Request and Shirt Size Information

April

Almost everything about this last school year has been unlike any other for our 8^th grade students, and the way in which we will be celebrating this capstone event in their lives will be no exception. The parent committee has partnered with the school administrators to ensure we can provide a ceremony to honor our student’s achievement, while meeting the ever changing public health and safety guidelines, and providing a fun and exciting time while doing so.

As such, this year’s graduation ceremony will take part in two phases. The first phase will take place on May 26^th, with a drive through Diploma Cover Presentation Ceremony, from 10am-3pm. The second phase will be the launch of a full virtual graduation video to be released on June 4^th at 4pm.

There will be a webinar held on May 4th, from 7:00-8:00pm, to provide all the information you need to know to about the Diploma Cover Presentation Ceremony. The webinar will be made available online after the event should you be unable to attend. You can attend the webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87388309119.

The Diploma Cover Presentation Ceremony will be professionally video taped and audio taped by our local KSAR news crew, for use in the virtual graduation video. The event will also be live streamed so family and friends who are unable to attend can watch virtually. There will be a professional photographer on site as well to capture the moment your student crosses the stage. Finally, to bring the party to the event, there will also be a DJ, student poster boards, and several fun graduation memorabilia items to collect.

Of course, none of this is possible without the generous support of our student’s families. As such, we are requesting a $40 donation per student to cover the costs of the event above and beyond what the district normally provides, as well as the traditional memorabilia give aways that would normally be part of the graduation party. Given all the things our students are not getting to experience this year (class photo, the Great America field trip, etc.), a $40 will hopefully be something you see the value in.

You can make your donation for this event and provide your student’s shirt size via this form. (https://www.redwoodmiddlepta.org/form/m/140230) Please provide this information by May 4^th to meet our order deadline.

If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to email debbibettinger@yahoo.com