William S. Hackett Middle School will hold a Grade 8 Moving Up Ceremony on Friday, June 25.
In an effort to enable students to experience the ceremony with family members, the school has tentatively planned an outdoor celebration. To ensure compliance with COVID-19 health guidelines and regulations, the school developed the following format.
Each student participating in the ceremony will be allowed to bring four (4) additional family members/guests with them to the celebration. To avoid a large crowd from forming, we ask that all students adhere to their assigned time slot. Students will report to school at designated times based upon their last name as follows:
- A-D – 9-9:30 a.m.
- E-H – 9:30-10 a.m.
- I-L – 10-10:30 a.m.
- M-P – 10:30-11 a.m.
- Q-T – 11-11:30 a.m.
- U-Z – 11:30– noon
Students and family members should report to the parking lot behind school, near the cafeteria. Parking spaces will be provided. Students and guests will line up together, remaining socially distanced from other families. All attendees will be required to wear a mask at all times.
The graduating student will then proceed through a receiving line of all Hackett faculty and staff before eventually reaching the main stage and podium. Guests will be allowed to walk to the front of the podium to hear their child’s name called and to take pictures of them receiving their diploma. After receiving a diploma, each student and their guests will walk to a designated area, where students will receive their graduating t-shirts and additional awards. A separate area will be available for students and family members to take pictures to celebrate the occasion. A photographer from i-Smiles studios will also be on hand to take professional pictures. Parents will have the option to purchase pictures from i-Smiles at a later time.
The Moving Up Ceremony is a semiformal event. Students should dress appropriately.
If the ceremony needs to move inside due to unforeseen weather, the date and times will remain the same. In compliance with health regulations for inside celebrations, only students will be allowed to participate in the indoor ceremony. Unfortunately, parents and/or guests will not be allowed inside the auditorium to observe the ceremony. If that happens, we will livestream the ceremony so that all family members can watch the event from another location. A video copy of the ceremony will also be provided after the ceremony on the Hackett page of the school district website.
We look forward to celebrating with you on June 25!
