Graduation Committee
Timeline & Resources
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This is the general outline for the Co-Chairs, but helpful for all Graduation Committee Subcommittee Chairs and volunteers to read and access. There is a lot here, think of it as a resource. Just about everything you need to know is in this outline and timeline, or in the downloadable files on the right. These files are for each Subcommittee Chair to follow as their own resource and timeline. *Note that the subcommittee file names are numbered in monthly chronological order, so that you know when each subcommittee should step into action. Communication Parents and guardians are receiving a lot of information these days. To save yourself the headache of multiple emails on the same topic, try to include as many details in your email as possible. This would include dates, times, locations, instructions, and your contact information at the close of each email. Have your co-chair proofread your emails before you send them, to check for missing details. This will save you from multiple messages when one could do. You may have done this before, but don’t be afraid to ask questions. Reach out to the contacts at the school, most of them have done this more than once. They are happy to answer questions early that prevent bigger problems later. Here is your timeline. It seems long because we’ve included samples for much of your communication. This allows you to cut, paste, tweak and send. Edit this timeline with your experience and correspondence edits so the next co-chairs will be able to do the same. Read through it and then meet with the people you think will be able to clarify anything that doesn’t make sense to you. The earlier you do this, the smoother this whole process will be. Try to do all communications though the Graduation gmail account. This leaves a nice ‘paper’ trail for future committees. A Little History Graduation and financial assistance for graduating students to attend the trip to Washington DC are funded though the monies raised by the Spaghetti Supper and 7th Grade Play. (Specifically, the Spaghetti Supper revenue pays for the expenses of the 7th Grade Play, and the revenue of the 7th Grade Play is used for graduation and DC expenses.) For many years the week of graduation was filled with local activities, entertainment for the most part, and graduation specific costs. We then came to understand that because the funds are held by the PTO, and the PTO is a nonprofit, the funds could not be spent on the entertainment for the week, but were fine to be used for the specific graduation costs. Then the school helped out by creating education-related activities that allowed the class funds to be used. Which has recently morphed into the 8th grade trip to DC. Some entertainment style events have remained. However, these events are not paid for by the funds raised. Families make the decision on which events they want their graduate to attend and then pay for the event. There are funds available for families who need financial assistant through the Business Manager at the school. Lunch brought in from Chipotle during graduation week is just one sample of an event. Right now, the class funds are used for graduation specific events; Writing Treasury Breakfast, graduation ceremony, graduation reception and the class gift. You can create name tee shirts to the week, but these are also not part of the budget, and will need time to set up for the sale, printing and delivery. |
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Budget Once all of the expenses for the 7th grade play have been paid, then you have the budget for graduation. The first line item to address is the financial support students may need for the DC trip. Some students will need the entire trip covered, others only a portion. The Class Representative works with the Middle School Principal to identify how many potential scholarships may be needed for the DC trip, the rest of the funds are used for graduation centered events; Treasury Breakfast, graduation ceremony, graduation reception and the class gift. |
Documents You’ll want to gather a few documents before you begin. Subcommittee chairs will need:
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Access Access to the Graduation Gmail account and the previous year's Class Gmail accounts are in the Co-Chair documents. The previous year accounts may help you understand some of the background. Hopefully the doc-umentation will answer your questions
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timeline
September
- Class Representative identifies two (2) parents to co-chair graduation - it is important that this opportunity is open to the entire class of parents and guardians. Some see this as the last opportunity to volunteer for their child’s CPS experience and will suddenly volunteer when they have never stepped forward before.
- Work with Class Representative and 8th grade teachers to hold a fundraiser for the Teacher Hosted Lunch held the day before graduation.
Early January
- Parent Co-Chairs are in place
- Co-Chairs begin recruiting for Subcommittee Chairs;
- Writing Treasury Coffee
- Video Retrospective
- Community Service Campus Clean Up
- Graduation Ceremony
- Graduation Reception
- Seating/Tickets
- Photographer
- Programs
- Flowers
- Legacy Tile Project
- Teacher Hosted Lunch
January
- Full committee in place
- Co-Chairs meet to review graduation tasks and create sign-up
- Co-Chairs meet meet with Middle School Principal to discuss end of year activities
- Introductory email is sent by co-chairs to Middle School Principal, Cafeteria Manager and Facilitates contact
- Class Treasurer and Class Representative provide budget for graduation
- Ask Middle School Principal to identify students who are home schooled to invite them to participate in graduation. This simple prompt is all that you need to do for now. They appreciate the prompt.
- Find out the deadlines for the Buzz publications for the rest of the school year so you can make best use of the Buzz to reach out to graduating families.
- Ask the Middle School Teachers who are working on graduation if they would like us to initiate a shirt sale that features a shirt with all of the graduating students names on the back. These shirts will be sold close to cost as it is not a fundraiser. Establish a subcommittee chair if the class wants these shirts. The sale can be done on the PTO website, but must meet their schedule needs.
February
- Contact Facilities Manager, introduce them to Ticket Subcommittee Chair(s) and Community Service Clean Up Day Subcommittee Chair(s) *See sample email below.
- Event Calendar is updated and shared via Google with Administration
- Intro email goes out to Committee Chairs and kick off meeting is held
- 7th grade liaison is identified via 7th Grade Class Representative, to chair graduation reception volunteers
March
- Sign-up goes out for Parent Volunteers
- Treasury Coffee, Ceremony and Graduation Reception subcommittee chairs coordinate a visit to the PTO storage shed to asses the supplies remaining for their needs.
- Send parent communication with dress code prior to April vacation
- Request same communication sent out via Middle School Principal
- Ask Middle School Principal which teacher will coordinate the Legacy Tile Project, contact teacher to see if they need assistance.
- Ask the class treasurer for the PTO Tax Exempt ID form. This should be a sheet of paper that can be photocopied for each of the subcommittee chairs, or a PDF that can be shared online.
- Ask Class Representative if teachers will host a Teacher Lunch on Campus Clean Up Day. Ask teacher if they need any assistance.
- Co-Chairs reach out to 7th Grade Class Representative to ask them to identify Graduation Reception Hosts (7th Grade Volunteers). These folks will host the reception so graduating families can enjoy the reception.
- Provide Video Retrospective Subcommittee Chair with email addresses of each graduate’s parent or guardian. Consider using a dedicated gmail account for all of the correspondence to keep it from your personal inbox!
- Reach out to the Video Retrospective Subcommittee Chair to see if they have set up their online files and have a date to send correspondence to families.
- Include Kimball’s gathering ‘save the date’ for the night before CCHS starts in August/September in correspondence about graduation
April
- Email parents and guardians as soon as graduation date is established, ask Middle School Principal to include finalized date in their weekly newsletter, put it in the Buzz
- Ask Middle School Principal to send out dress code letter to parents and guardians (see sample below)
- Once schedule is set for graduation week, create a flier to go home with students and send out via Middle School Principal, Buzz and email.
- Flower coordinator should obtain number of graduates and all flower needs from the school and have an initial conversation with the florist.
- Program subcommittee chair should make initial contact with program printer. Obtain a copy of previous year’s graduation program to begin editing process.
- Include Kimball’s gathering ‘save the date’ for the night before CCHS starts in August/September in correspondence about graduation
- Ask all subcommittees determine their volunteer needs - with specific dates and times - to create one SignUpGenius for all graduation volunteer needs. (Campus Clean Up, Reception, Flowers, Treasury Coffee)
May
- Confirm that home schooled children whose families wish to participate in graduation are included in the list of graduates for the Ticket/Seating subcommittee.
- Obtain full email list - both parents/guardians for each graduate - from the Assistant to the Superintendent and provide it to the Ticket Subcommittee Chair
- Reach out to Clean Up Subcommittee Chair(s) to see if they need any help and are on task
- Confirm Clean Up Date and time
- Confirm ticket reservation invitation email distribution date from Ticket Subcommittee
- Include Kimball's gathering ‘save the date’ for the night before CCHS starts in August/September in correspondence about graduation
June
- Ask subcommittee chairs to edit their job descriptions and send them to you. Don’t wait on this, once people get into their summer they will rarely complete this request.
- Ask subcommittee chairs to submit all receipts asap to class treasurer asap so the class account can be closed.
- Concord printing is going to mail the program printing bill to the PTO address in late June, early July.
August
- Ask Class Representative to remind students via parents/guardians about the gathering at Kimballs the night before school starts at CCHS