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Greetings Braddock District Community,
I want to spotlight two time-sensitive items for next week:
- Newly-enhanced 2020 Graduation Event: Diploma & Photo Day Celebration
- Free Youth and Parent Summit (for Students with Disabilities), sponsored by VDOE
(Specific details for both events are listed below my personal message)
Regarding this newly-enhanced 2020 graduation event, I want to ensure our amazing seniors and their families are aware of these special changes that were recently put into effect for all high schools:
- Students will individually walk onto a decorated stage, while "Pomp and Circumstance" music is played.
- Each student’s name will be called as they walk to the stage, pose for a photo with their diploma at mid-stage, and turn their tassel.
- Photos will be taken by a professional photographer, and families will be able to take their own photos as well.
- School administrators and staff will be there to greet and cheer for the students.
- Social-distancing requirements will be followed.
Please know that I care deeply about the unfortunate cancellations of our June graduations, and have urged our Superintendent to continue monitoring which school districts are conducting pre-Labor Day graduations. While this Diploma & Photo Day event cannot replace these ceremonies, I hope these new enhancements will bring additional joy to our seniors and their families. High school graduations are a unique milestone in a child’s life, so I am grateful to our principals and school staff for their tireless work to make these events so special.
I also want to convey my deep appreciation for the Braddock District parents and students who alerted me last week about the inconsistent graduation events across our county. Through your thoughtful advocacy, I was able to alert the Superintendent. And now, every FCPS senior and their families can enjoy a more memorable celebration.
Best wishes,
Megan
Fairfax County Public Schools is excited to celebrate the Class of 2020. Each high school will be honoring its seniors with a recently-enhanced individual Diploma & Photo Celebration. In addition, FCPS is producing a graduation celebration video that will be livestreamed for family and friends to enjoy viewing with their graduate.
DIPLOMA & PHOTO DAY CELEBRATION:
This celebration is part of each school’s PHOTO DAY for seniors and families. (See individual school messages for details)
- Each student will arrive in his/her car with family and will be asked to complete a health questionnaire. A plan for walkers practicing social distancing has been developed.
- These events are scheduled to take place outdoors at key designated locations on each school campus. Each school as a contingency plan for weather.
- Student and their family will then proceed to the designated location and park their car. Each student and family will be called up to the photo opportunity setting at their scheduled time.
- Each setting will have a decorated stage. Designated staff will be assigned and rotated over several day(s) to greet the seniors/families.
- Seniors will be called onto the stage (their name will be read) with Pomp and Circumstance music playing in the background.
- Students will walk to the center of the stage… pose for a picture (taken by a professional photographer), holding their diploma and will then be asked to move their tassel from the right to left before exiting the stage.
- Families will be able to take photographs of their senior on stage and take additional family photos.
- Staff will be on hand to announce names, the turning of the tassel, and to congratulate students
- Diplomas… Some schools are issuing diplomas at the cap and gown pick up and students will be asked to bring them back for the photo opportunity. Some schools are issuing diplomas on the day of the photo opportunity. For the latter… diplomas will be issued as part of the check in process. Seniors will stop at a diploma station, pick up their diploma and then proceed to the photo op area and walk up on the stage take the picture with their diploma when their name is called.
- All of these activities will practice social distancing.
Virtual Graduation Celebration Ceremony Broadcast Dates
These videos are being created for each high school to include photos of seniors, speeches from various school leaders, highlights of the senior class, and other graduation traditions.
The purpose of this video is to celebrate our seniors, acknowledge their achievement of earning a high school diploma, and create a keepsake memory for their families.
The format of this video will be a hybrid between a traditional graduation ceremony and a celebration of our seniors’ accomplishments. The videos will be live-streamed and broadcast. (PLEASE see the schedule listed below).
Although we recognize the photo and video celebrations do not replace an in-person graduation ceremony, we are excited about this opportunity to honor our seniors as safely as possible.
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Congratulations,
Robinson Rams
Class of 2020!
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Congratulations,
Woodson Cavaliers
Class of 2020!
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Congratulations,
Lake Braddock Bruins
Class of 2020!
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Congratulations,
Annandale Atoms
Class of 2020!
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Congratulations,
Fairfax Rebels
Class of 2020!
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Congratulations,
TJHSST Colonials
Class of 2020!
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2020 Virtual Youth & Parent Summit
June 8 - 12, 2020
The Youth and Parent Summit is a three-day event held each June and sponsored by the Virginia Department of Education and the Partnership for People with Disabilities. Youth with disabilities from across the Commonwealth meet to network and discuss issues of importance to youth and young adults with disabilities.
This year, due to the travel restrictions and guidelines put in place by the governor, the event is being moved online. This Virtual Summit will follow a similar feel to the face-to-face events in that it will include a welcome from VDOE representatives, sessions for youth which have been prepared with the help from our state youth leaders, sessions for parents, a keynote address, and exhibitor information focusing on Virginia resources for youth with disabilities.
The Virtual Summit will take place during the week of June 8-12, 2020 (All sessions are asynchronous - you can access them when it suits your schedule.) All sessions and information will remain available beyond the week of the event to allow those who cannot attend during the scheduled week to still access the information. The event will be open to all who wish to participate, as self-determination skills are beneficial to all youth and adults.
There is no need to apply in order to participate in this Virtual Summit. To attend, show up to this site between June 8-12, 2020 and go through any sessions that you are interested in.
The Youth Sessions are created for youth 13-21 years old, and the parent sessions are created for parents, but all of the information is open to anyone.
There is no need to apply in order to participate in this Virtual Summit.
For additional information, visit the i'mdetermined website.
The views contained within this newsletter reflect the views of the individual school board member who is the publisher of this newsletter and may not reflect the views of the Fairfax County School Board.
© 2020 Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, Virginia
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