PROMOTION 23-24 INFORMATION

Hello 8th Grade Families,

We are so excited about promotion this year! We’ve added a couple of new things that we hope families can benefit from. Please check out each section below for information and details related to the big day.

As previously advertised, we have partnered with the Commencement Group which offers flowers and small gifts for your Promoting Panther.

They are actively taking pre-orders (https://www.thecommencementgroup.com/glenedwardsms/) and your items will be available for pick up on the day of Promotion from their Kiosk that will be located on campus inside the gates.

Should you happen to miss the pre-sale window, certain items will be available while supplies last. So don’t delay get your flower lei today 😃

If you would like to check your child out at the end of the promotion ceremony and do not want to wait for a long period of time, please make sure you fill out the EARLY CHECK OUT form below using the Parent/Guardian EMAIL ADDRESS REGISTERED WITH PARENT SQUARE. The person who is checking out the student MUST be on the emergency card. There will be no exceptions made.

These students will be issued an Early Check Out wristband the day of Promotion.

8th GRADE EARLY CHECK OUT

(THIS LIST WILL CLOSE END OF DAY ON MAY 21st)

If your child does NOT have an early check out wristband (Early Check Out Above NOT Completed), they will be walked into the gym upon ceremony closing. Parents will have to WALK OUT the 3rd Street gate and around to the office entrance on L Street to sign them out the traditional way.

Please note: there will be no office access across the blacktop from the parent seating area.

Our AMAZING Parent Promotion Dance Committee has been working hard on the dance details to ensure it's a fun and memorable night for the kids. Please reach out to them if you are able to assist with: decorating, chaperoning or cleaning up.

• Trinity Cooney - Chairperson / mrs.cooney@yahoo.com

Chaperones require a current TB and Volunteer Form on file with the school. Please contact Chelsea Alvarez in the office to check your status or obtain the forms.

The Parent Promotion Dance Committee has been busy planning the BIG event!! If you have been unable to attend the meetings but would like to lend support, please <<CLICK HERE>> to access their Amazon Wish List. Any contribution you may afford is greatly appreciated.

Tickets for the Promotion Dance are not issued. There will be a list of attendees checked by Teacher Chaperones at the entry point and based off the Permission Forms signed by parents.

• Students should arrive to school on time and report to the gymnasium to prepare for ceremony entrance.
  

• The promotion ceremony will be held on the GEMS blacktop and will begin promptly at 9:00a.m.-10:30am on Thursday, June 5th.

• Gates will lock at 8:55 a.m. We will not open the gates until the conclusion of the ceremony.

• Parents and family are only allowed on the blacktop area of the field where the ceremony is being held.

• The recording of the ceremony will be posted within an hour of the promotion ending.

The gates open for all students at 8:00 A.M. as on any normal day. We will close the gates shortly after the bell rings at 8:10 A.M. We will re-open the gates for families around 8:30. The gate of entry for family members will be on 3rd Street by the field at the backside of the two-story building. Campus WILL NOT be accessible from L Street.

We will NOT be opening the main gate on Third/M Street or the L Street gate. There will be a sign marking the entrance.

There is no limit on how many people may attend the event. Please keep in mind that space is limited and that it is first come first serve. We will not be allowing guests on campus before the designated time below to set up chairs or claim space.

• GEMS will not be providing chairs for guests. If you would like to be seated for the ceremony, you will need to bring your own chair.
• No blanket reservations or group areas.
  
• We will not be able to accommodate shade structures, umbrellas, pop-ups, etc. Please come prepared for the weather. The morning sun in June can be intense!
• Please be considerate of others and do not bring items that will block the view of others, such as umbrellas or balloons.

• The promotion ceremony on the blacktop is wheelchair accessible.

• If you have a family member that may need special assistance please have them and their one chaperone enter through the office after 8:10 and we can help seat them. This designated area is not intended for group seating.

1. Guests will exit the field through the same gate in which they entered (on the field).
2. If the early check-out form was not completed, your student will be escorted back to the gym. (please see below for early check-out form)
3. If you did complete the early check-out form, your student will be wearing a wristband which will indicate to our staff they are cleared to leave early. Students who are wearing these wristbands will not return to class and may leave with their families.

Please note: For those students who are wearing a wristband, there will be a very short amount of time for pictures/celebrations as school is still in session for our 6th and 7th-grade students and we will need to have the campus cleared by 10:30 am.

🐾 PANTHER PROUD!!!

We look forward to celebrating the big day!!

Emails went out 3/31/25 to notify families of students that are not meeting one or more of the requirements below.

Promotion based on academic achievement for 2024/2025:

The following three requirements will be utilized in determining academic eligibility for promotion and summer school eligibility. Students meeting all three of the following requirements will be academically eligible to participate in the promotion Ceremony.

1. Overall cumulative GPA of “C” or better
2. GPA of 2.0 (“C”) or better in Language Arts
3. GPA of 2.0 (“C”) or better in Mathematics

The academic requirements will only apply to semester 2 grades for the 2024/2025 school year and will be applied at administration discretion.

8th Grade Promotion Activities (2024/2025):

Eighth-grade students must meet the academic and behavioral requirements to participate in promotion activities. Academic requirements are listed above and the behavioral requirements are listed below.

Eighth-grade promotion activities may include a water park trip, promotion dance, and the promotion ceremony. Additionally, students must return all materials, supplies, textbooks, and equipment issued to them and must pay all their debts by the required deadlines.

If during the last seven weeks of school, a student receives the following discipline, it may result in:

• First Administrative Referral – Loss of water park trip
• Third Administrative Referral – Loss of Promotion Dance

• One day of suspension – Loss of all promotion activities with the exception of the promotion ceremony.
• Multiple days of suspension - Loss of all promotion activities including the promotion ceremony.

Appropriate dress for the Promotion Ceremony is as follows:

● It is recommended that boys wear dress shirts and slacks; ties are optional.

● It is recommended that girls wear a dress or blouse with a skirt or slacks

● Clothing must not expose buttocks, cleavage, midsection or underclothing when standing still, bending over, raising arms, or in motion.

● Tuxedos, jeans, shorts, T-shirts and overalls are not appropriate. Dresses or blouses should be in good taste and age-appropriate for the occasion. Spaghetti strap dresses are allowed for the promotion dance.

Please keep this dress code in mind when selecting promotion clothing with your child. School administration has final determination as to what is appropriate for the occasion, and administration will deny entrance should your child choose to dress inappropriately.

Promotion Certificates:

Names will be printed as they appear on the school computer unless otherwise requested by parents. Please contact our office if you would like your child’s name updated NO LATER THAN 5/9/25.