Where did the year go? It seems like only yesterday that we were welcoming the students back, and now it’s time to bid best wishes to our graduating seniors. I look forward especially to seeing the senior parents at the events leading to Commencement and thank you for the years (however many they may be) that you shared your daughter with us. I also encourage those of you who are underclass parents to attend Class Day and Commencement because it is a wonderful way to learn more about the accomplishments of Roland Park students and share in their successes.
All students must be here for Advisory and graduation rehearsal on Monday, June 9, as well as at Class Day Monday evening, and of course Commencement on Tuesday morning. Grades 9, 10, and 11 may be out of uniform to school on Monday, June 9. Then for Class Day and Commencement, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh graders wear street length white dresses (or skirt and blouse) and white shoes. I encourage the girls to bring their Class Day clothes to school on Monday so that they can change here. Seniors wear colorful spring dresses for Class Day and long white dresses (and white shoes) at Commencement. On Class Day, academic, service and citizenship, and athletic awards are presented and offices are passed down from the graduating senior class to the rising senior class. All parents are invited to attend both Class Day and Commencement. Only parents of seniors may park on campus for Commencement.
For those students who intend to play a fall sport, practice starts on August 19, 3:30-6:30. Parents, you must attend the Parent-Coach meeting on Monday evening, August 18 at 6:00 p.m. Please remember to turn in the papers from your daughter’s physical – she will not be able to play (or attend any school function) until her health forms are totally complete and received by the School.
Community service is a central tenet of our philosophy. All students are required to do a minimum of 60 hours of community service during their Upper School years (40 hours must be at one location) and summer is often a good time to get started or continue this valuable work for others. Although many students continue to do community service work throughout their senior year, seniors must have done their 60 hour minimum requirement before the start of senior year in order to receive all their senior privileges.
Remember when you were a new parent in the Upper School? You probably had a number of questions that you would have liked to have a parent buddy to consult. Perhaps you would consider being a Parent Mentor to parents new to the Upper School. If you are interested or would like to know more about what this entails, please email Randi Pupkin (rap3513@comcast.net) who is coordinating this mentor program for the Upper School.
The underclass students met with their advisors to talk about summer reading. Each girl is required to read three books of their choosing, using the Upper School Reading List which is available on our website. Go to www.rpcs.org and you will see a link to the reading list. Additionally, in order to provide a common point of departure in starting English class, the 9th grade is required to read Fences by August Wilson, 10th grade is required to read Into the Wild, by John Krakauer, and the 11th grade is required to read The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. (If your daughter is taking an AP course, she will probably have summer work that has been assigned by the teacher.) Please encourage your daughter to read as much as possible. Get yourself a good book too!
Alert for next year – classes will start at 8:00 a.m., not 8:05, so get ready! J
Seniors, we will miss you all – don’t forget to write and visit. Senior parents, remember that you, too, are welcome to come back and visit any time you get nostalgic for the RPCS days! To you all, have a wonderful, fun-filled summer!
~ J.F.S.