April 30, 2024

Dear Families of Seniors,

We are now just a few days away from the seniors’ final bell and just over a month from Commencement for the class of 2024. It is going to be wonderful to be able to celebrate our graduation with all of you. To add to the liveliness of the year’s conclusion, we have two wonderful speakers – Ricky Joshi ’97 for Commencement and JoAnne Adams to deliver the Cum Laude address at Honors Assembly – whom we just recently announced to our community.

As we continue to prepare for this exciting day, I wanted to write to you with a few particular details. This note is an appeal to everyone’s consideration of and concern for others on Commencement day.

It has been the school’s practice at Commencement to designate seats for seniors, faculty, trustees, underclassmen and chorus singers, but otherwise to use an “open seating” approach for family members of the graduates and any guests. This approach is used whether the ceremony is held in the Senior Quad or, when inclement weather necessitates, in the Mackenzie Gymnasium. Should you or your guest(s) require handicapped seating, please reply to this message in order to coordinate this effort with Executive Assistant to the Head of School Shannon Nelson.

Because of the great celebratory energy and excitement we all have on this day, and in an effort to provide a fair and considerate plan so each family can enjoy the festivities, the school has the following policies for Commencement seating:

1. All seats may be reserved in person beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Commencement day (ceremony begins at 9:00 a.m.). Any “reservations” made before 7:00 a.m. will be disregarded.
2. Each family may reserve only six seats per graduate in the front section of the audience, e.g. between the low brick wall and the podium if an outdoor ceremony; in the first fifteen rows if in the gymnasium.
3. Open seating is in the “back sections” where no seats can be reserved.
4. After 8:45 a.m., any unclaimed seats in the front section may be taken by members of family parties larger than six.

It is worth noting that there will be seating for approximately 1,100 people at Commencement in either the outdoor or indoor venue, and that a shortage of seats has historically not been a problem. We appreciate that families of seniors prefer to sit near the front of the audience, and for the most part this can be accomplished if the above guidelines are observed. Most especially, we ask that large groups of family and friends respect the right of smaller groups to experience Commencement from the front seats.

All of this is to say that Commencement is a great recognition for each senior – and for this community. Our respect for each other, our willingness to forgo what might be beneficial for one family over the fairness to another is at the heart of what this school’s character represents.

Let's all pull together to make this a real celebration of our seniors!

Sincerely,

Melissa B. Soderberg

Head of School