MOVING ON is a graduation ceremony for the 8th grade class. The event involves an hour-long graduation ceremony held in the BHS gym (6-7pm) for the students and their families followed by a dinner/party for 8th grade students only (7:15-10pm) in the JGMS cafeteria/gymnasium respectively. Moving On for the class on 2023 is scheduled for Monday, June 17, 2019.
The Moving On ceremony is the first time the 8th graders are referred to as the class of 2023! It is funded entirely by parent donations with an MSPA subsidy.
ORDER OF EVENTS & HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS:
- Graduation Ceremony starts at 6 pm in the Bedford High School gymnasium and should run through 7:00/7:15pm. Seating is not assigned (except for the students).
- Graduates must arrive a half-hour early (be there at 5:30 pm) to be lined up alphabetically – please don’t be late!
- Attire: Graduates should be dressed nicely, boys in dress slacks and collared shirts (long sleeve or short) or suits, & ties (optional), and girls in dressy attire. All attendees should be aware that it is extremely warm inside the gym so please dress accordingly. Even if it’s chilly or breezy outdoors, it can be hot and steamy inside the gym. Dress in light materials, layers to shed if you’re overheated, short sleeves or sleeveless tops, etc. If you carry in a water bottle to sip during the ceremony, please make sure you carry it out. Do not litter the gym. See the Bedford Citizen articles below for a glimpse of what the evening entails.
- The ceremony will be videotaped by Bedford TV. You will have the option to purchase a DVD via Bedford TV’s website. Details will be provided over the next couple of months.
- After the Ceremony/Going to the Moving On Celebration: Before leaving BHS, it is acceptable for 8th grade students to change clothing if they choose. Boys often change into khaki shorts and Polo-type shirts. Girls may change too but usually they stay in their dresses and just switch shoes (flipflops or sandals.) There are restrooms outside of the BHS gym where kids can change. Families should collect the suit jackets, high heels, and other random things from the graduates and say their goodbyes at BHS as the kids will walk over to JGMS for their Moving On celebration.
- Dinner and Dance: This event is held at JGMS for graduates only and supervised by teachers and Moving On chaperones.
- Tuesday, June 18th: 8th grade field trip to Canobie Lake Park. Kids should wear their 8th grade Moving On t-shirt to school that morning. If a child did not get his/her shirt, it will be in the Front Office, with his/her name on it, ready for pickup before they get on the bus.
The event is planned entirely by parent volunteers! The Moving On Co-Chairs manage the entire event. They oversee all the committees making sure everything is on track and handle communication with MSPA board & JGMS administration.
The following sub-committees manage various aspects of the event:
- T-shirts: T-shirts need to be designed, t-shirt order forms processed, t-shirts labeled for each student (chair filled for 2019)
- Invitations: Manage online invitations, responses and wait-list (Co-Chairs manage 2019)
- Program: Design and print program (chair filled for 2019)
- Ceremony coordinator: 1 person. Order flowers, confirm set up for ceremony (filled for 2019)
- Photography: Coordinating volunteer photographers (need 3 in total – 1 ceremony 2 dinner/dance), create website to share photos (chair filled for 2019)
- Photo booth: Design Photo Booth area (co-chairs filled for 2019)
- Gym Decorations: Plan gym decorations – usually have huge number of volunteers to help execute the plan. (chair filled for 2019)
- Hallway Photo Project: Hallway is decorated with baby photos and 8th grade photos, along with candids. Plan how photos will be displayed. Group of volunteers assist in carrying out the plan (chair filled for 2019)
- Cafeteria Decorations: Plan cafeteria and LGI room decorations (plastic tablecloths/centerpiece/paper plates etc). Many volunteers needed day of event. (chair filled for 2019)
- Food Service: (6th & 7th grade parents) (chair filled for 2019)
- Dessert: Plan the desserts that will be requested via signupgenius. 8th grade parents provide the dessert from the requested list. (chair filled for 2019)
- Cleanup: Organize the cleanup after the event. Get info from gym chair, hallway chair and other groups as to what needs to be saved. Tell people what to do! (chair filled for 2019)
DONATIONS NEEDED TO MAKE MOVING ON HAPPEN: Finally, and most important, this event is run entirely on donations. If you have made a donation, THANK YOU. If you haven’t yet had the opportunity, please take a moment to do so now. We need to finalize all items, based on received budgets. This year’s donation forms are located at 2019 Donation Request Letter.
Hallway Photo Project form: 2019 Moving On Photo Project Letter pdf
THANK YOU all for your support!
Glimpse of Moving On as reported in the Bedford Citizen
Moving On 2018: https://www.thebedfordcitizen.org/2018/06/the-newly-minted-bhs-class-of-2022-has-moved-on-from-jgms
Moving On 2017: http://www.thebedfordcitizen.org/2017/07/moving-jgms-graduates-become-bhs-class-2021/
Moving On 2016: http://www.thebedfordcitizen.org/2016/06/moving-on-ceremony-marks-students-transition-from-jgms-to-bhs/
Moving On 2015: http://www.thebedfordcitizen.org/2015/07/01/jgms-class-of-2015-moving-on-bhs-class-of-2019-moving-in/
Bedford MSPA 