05/11/2020
GHS Parents, Guardians and Community Members:
On behalf of the faculty and staff of Gloucester High School, I am proud to announce that we are in the process of planning our commencement exercises for graduating seniors during the week of June 15!
As you are aware, the Governor’s current gathering restrictions will not permit us to hold our typical graduation event at the Kaplan Arena on the campus of William & Mary. But despite this, we are determined to celebrate this important milestone for our graduates and their families with a special, personalized ceremony that allows each graduate to be recognized and experience the memorable journey across the platform in cap and gown to receive their diploma, while maintaining the required safety and social distancing measures. While logistics are still being developed, I can say that we are actively working on a commencement plan that will allow for all of our seniors to be honored in a memorable way. While the circumstances we face mean that the 2020 GHS commencement will not resemble graduation ceremonies of the past, these same circumstances provide us the opportunity to create a legacy unique to this year’s graduating class. We are excited about that opportunity.
More specific information will be provided about the GHS commencement exercises next weekend.
On Wednesday, May 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Jostens will be completing curbside delivery of Senior Graduation merchandise including cap/gown/tassel ensemble purchased earlier in the year in the bus loop area. Students/parents are to take delivery by pulling into the bus loop, but stay in your vehicle and a Jostens representative or assistant will approach your vehicle to find out whose graduation merchandise you are picking up. Only graduation orders that have been paid for in full may be picked up. If you owe a balance on your order, you may pay off the balance at www.jostens.com prior to Wednesday or pay Wednesday at pick-up with either cash exact change or money order. Jostens is not accepting any other forms of payments on Wednesday.
If you have not purchased a cap/gown/tassel set, you may order one online through www.jostens.com or you may pay for one Wednesday during the Jostens merchandise pick-up. The cost is 45 dollars and must be paid for via cash exact change or a money order.
Wednesday, March 13th from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. will be the only day that Jostens will be delivering at Gloucester High School.
In our continued efforts to support our senior class, we have rented a billboard on Route 17 near Short Lane for the month of June. The artwork design was created by Ms. Schoenthal along with seniors Tyler Mazzuca, Luis Socia, Alex Long, and Kyleigh Johnson. We would like to extend a big thank you to their efforts and hard work! Please be on the lookout for the senior billboard starting in June!
The GHS Counseling department would like to recognize you in a video in lieu of our original Decision Day 2020 plans. An e-mail has been sent with a google form to complete explaining your post secondary plans. We want to make this venture fun so we are asking that you submit a picture for us to include in the video. Have fun with the picture (keeping it PG.) You can take a picture in your cap and gown; your prom dress; athletic uniform; with your favorite pet; show off your wheels; wear your college shirt; wear a mask or have some toilet paper in the shot! These are just a few examples! Be creative because this is YOUR memory! We are also asking you to vote on background music with a few song choices, but don't fret we are also asking for suggestions. Suggest away because this is your video!
Please go to this Google form to submit your picture, sentence describing what you will be doing after graduation, and song choices: https://forms.gle/pgAHzKaZjjoJZD9p6
In addition, a local photographer is offering FREE front porch photographs as an option. There is no obligation to do formal pictures; this is merely a resource.
http://debbieleanne.com/2020-high-school-seniors/
Please let Mr. Winkler ([email protected]) or Dr. Roach ([email protected]) know if you have any questions/concerns about this as we are the two counselors that will be compiling this video.
Please respond no later than MAY 28th. Share with friends too! Social media, text, etc. We hope to get as close to 100% participation as possible!
Senior Families: Your child is eligible to take RCC summer courses which start as soon as May 18, the first day of their first summer session, your graduating senior could start a five-week or ten-week online course at RCC. Additional online 8-week summer sessions begin on June 1. If you are interested in your senior starting their college careers this summer, please call the RCC admissions and advising office this week. They will walk you through the process.
Summer Virtual Virginia Registration will be open to Gloucester students starting this week. Please look on the GHS and GCPS websites for information and registration forms. Summer Virtual Virginia can be used to earn initial credits in academic core subjects this summer.
Information on regular Gloucester High School Summer School, which will offer repeat credit for first semester failures in all non-math classes and initial credit in Economics and Personal Finance, Health and PE 9, and Health and PE 10 will be available in the few weeks.
While work has been modified for this unique period, students and parents should be reminded that this work will be graded. While our teachers and faculty are here to support students as partners, our students must do their part. Simply put, students who do not meet the expectations of a class will not receive a passing grade and will not receive credits for that class. Seniors who do not meet the expectations of classes needed for graduation will not graduate.
Starting this week, Gloucester High School will be open Monday-Friday from 8:30-3:30. If you have questions, you can contact our main office during this time.
Again, I want to thank our parents and community members for your support and patience as we continue learning for the final grading period of the year. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me.
Thank you for all that you have done, what you are doing and what you will do!
Take care and be safe.
Craig B. Reed, Ed. D.
Explore Jostens personalized college and high school class rings, customizable yearbooks, championship rings, graduation products, and more to celebrate big moments this year.
