The Falconer
2012 Falcons take flightWednesday, May 30, 2012 By raquel lay
One final time, seniors will take Falcon Field on June 9 and emerge as graduates. The ceremony begins at 8 a.m., although seniors should arrive at school no later than 6:45 a.m. “Graduation is, like, 'we finally did it.’ We waited our whole lives to get through school to make it to the next level, which is college and independence,” senior Tia Bland said. “I’ll miss having the first day of school, where you see the same teachers and they ask you how your summer was and they tell you how you’ve matured.” Seniors must attend graduation practice on Wednesday, June 6, at 8:00 a.m. if they want to participate in the ceremony. Students will receive an envelope that contains a map of the school, one parking pass that’s coded by color, and any additional directions. It’s highly encouraged for students, parents, and faculty to carpool. Students who decide to carpool have the option of giving the parking pass to family. Students will also receive tickets for indoor seating in case of inclement weather at practice. “ Fauquier County policy is that we hand you a diploma. It takes a whole lot of organization and, in order to do that, you need to practice,” Senior Class sponsor Paul Reynolds said. “The real purpose is because we have to get the name and seating chart exactly correct. If I get one name wrong, then the rest is incorrect. It’s a domino effect.” Seniors are required to behave appropriately during practice, and graduation and to follow the school rules as if on any normal school day. “[The length of practice] depends on how cooperative students are; we have done it anywhere between three and six hours. You’re expected to just sit and wait. If your cell phone causes distractions, you will be removed from the ceremony,” Reynolds said. “First hour is finishing up sign out sheets and taking care of things that need to be taken care of. We go through roll call and physically order every seat. Then we take a break, go over any name corrections and mispronunciations, and answer Q’s and A’s before second roll call. We then take you to the field, explain one or two things and then you’ll be dismissed from the field.” At graduation, seniors are expected to wear appropriate attire under the cap and gown. Seniors cannot decorate the cap and gown. In addition, men should wear a button down collared shirt, tie, and slacks. Ladies should wear a dress, skirt, or slacks with a blouse. No one may wear shorts, cutoffs, muscle shirts, beach attire, sneakers, flip flops, or anything as inappropriate for the formal event. “I solve problems immediately. For example, if a guy shows up not in a white shirt, I have white bleached shirts to be put on,” Reynolds said. “Either you can wear the right shirt or we will embarrass you and you will change. Every guy will need a white shirt in their life. I even have ties!” Parking for graduation has always been limited, but with construction, the number of parking spots is further reduced. Handicap parking will be provided in the lot on the gym side, and guests who have difficulty walking may be transported to the field in a cart. Satellite parking will be available at Alice Jane, the location of the school board. From there, a shuttle bus will run from 6:30-7:30 a.m., making trips back and forth to get parents to the ceremony. A second bus, located at Taylor Middle, is still being considered. Shuttle buses will run after the event until the campus is completely empty. Parking at the Food Lion shopping center is not allowed. Police officers will direct and assist with parking, so everyone can get to the event. “[Food Lion] will be looking for [parking violators] the day of. You’re parking on your own and you might as well get towed,” Reynolds said. “I hope that [graduation] is a fun, enjoyable experience for all seniors.” This year family members and friends will not be able to stand near the stage to take photos. Professional photographers will take pictures of graduates as they receive their diplomas that will be available for purchase. FHS will not receive a commission on the sales. According to Principal Roger Sites, the decision was made because of the challenges of managing the photo shoot area. “It’s too confusing and it blocks the views of people trying to get pictures,” Sites said. “People were standing and not going back, so a lot of us talked it over and we agreed to make this a new regulation. It’ll be much more organized,” Sites sums up the senior class as personable, talented, and an energetic group of successful individuals. “I wish [the seniors] the best in everything they do. Work hard, and reach for the stars,” Sites said. “Every year we ask how we will survive without this smile, or this handshake, but life goes on, and some junior or sophomore will step up. I will miss them so much! ” |