So graduation is set for May 24, 2011 a Tuesday, and I was wondering what people thought of this? It used to always be on Sunday of Memorial weekend and however many years ago it was changed for some reason. At least by leaving it alone you would always know when graduation would be if you had a child graduating and you could actually let relatives know to plan on that date. So what do you think?

This has been controversial for YEARS. When it was Memorial Day weekend, half the people were delighted because relatives could come and half were annoyed because they wanted to get away that weekend. It goes back and forth and back and forth and no matter what is decided, half of the parents are upset. There is no solution so one year it's one day and one year it's the next so a different set of parents get to be upset.

The situation came up at a recent school board meeting, because the way that the weekends fall in May of 2011, there is no weekend in between Bucking Horse Sale weekend and Memorial Day weekend.

I agree with Amorette. You cannot win. I have heard plenty of parents complain when graduation is held on Memorial Day weekend.

This quote is especially perfect in times like these.

"You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time."

Granted, it's going to be a LONG time before my daughter graduates (LOL), BUT I think these are legitimate questions:

When it's during a week, how many relatives from out of town can actually go and get away from work?

With an issue with Memorial Weekend, why not do graduation the weekend before or the weekend after???????

[This message has been edited by TK (4/2/2010)]

They have been holding it the weekend prior to Memorial Day, however, in 2011, there is no weekend between Bucking Horse weekend and Memorial Day weekend.

Plus the seniors would already be out of school a week if they wait until memorial day.

In 2009, graduation was held on Memorial Day. In the recent past, if my memory serves me right, graduation has been held Memorial Day weekend. I know for a fact also that in 2006, graduation was held the Sunday directly before Memorial Day.

So that is my question also....how many of my son's relatives are going to be coming to graduation on a Tuesday night? And, I better hope I have vacation days saved up or I'll be taking leave without pay to make sure he has a proper party and to attend graduation that evening.

Why do they think that in 2011 graduation CAN'T be held on Memorial Day Weekend? What is the difference that year as opposed to other years? The fact that there is only 4 weekends shouldn't make a difference.

I for one am upset by the decision. When the ballot was sent home, it wasn't my vote. And yes, I returned my ballot. And my son signed it and agreed with my vote.

Seriously, when is the next School Board meeting...we probably can't change their vote but I'd like my voice to be heard.

Thanks.

If a ballot was sent home, wouldn't that imply that this was a democratic process? If so, wouldn't the fact that graduation was set for Tuesday imply that the majority voted for Tuesday? If that is the case, shouldn't the majority vote stand? If not, what is the purpose of having a vote in the first place?

As to the vacation days, they set the graduation date more than a year advance. I would think for any job on this planet, this would be satisfactory notice. If not, let me know so that I can ensure never to apply for employment at your place of work.

All kidding aside, there are obviously reasons this decision was made, i.e. the majority voted for the Tuesday date, or there was another conflict. Why not call the High School, or the District Office, to find out?

Cindy, give me a call when you can at 234-6292 because I too would like to go to the next board meeting or whatever we need to do. From what I have been told, there were only about 30 votes turned in and I don't think that would be a "majority" of the senior class. More than likely people assumed that it would be Memorial weekend sometime so they didn't need to send in their ballot. The parents that I have talked to so far have all said they turned in their ballots and it was not for Tuesday. I think the kids thought by voting for Tuesday they were saying yes just for the reason of getting out of school early. Has anyone thought of the Senior Bash?

Denise - I wasn't simply talking about my place of employment. I was mostly talking about our relatives and friends that would need to take at least 2 days off to travel. People have situations in their lives that take up leave time i.e. illness, death in the family, etc. Great, they are giving us a year's notice but who can predict what will happen in that year. By having it on a weekend, many more would be able to travel to graduation. Most people do have weekends off. I myself enjoy that luxury.

As for the ballot process, I guess I won't know what happened with that until after I attend a meeting of the School Board. It is an assumption at this point on who truly voted for what.

I for one plan on following up with Leanne to see this through. I am not one to sit on my hands and not obtain all the information on how this date was selected. Then once I have the information and they still decide to go forward with a Tuesday night, at least I'll know my voice was heard. I might not be happy about it but like you said, you can never please all of the people all of the time.

I, like Leanne, also question what happens to the Senior Bash. That not only involves the seniors and their parents but many more who volunteer each year to make this event the success it is. Will a Tuesday night event hamper the success?

Leanne - I'll call you to discuss this. Thank you for your reply!

[This message has been edited by Cindy (4/3/2010)]

Great. The "And, I better hope I have vacation days saved up or I'll be taking leave without pay to make sure he has a proper party and to attend graduation that evening." obviously threw me.

Great for you involved parents. Making educated criticisms is what is best for everyone involved. The firm date was set at the last School Board meeting. It's a shame you weren't able to make that meeting to find out the reasons for the decision. I'm sure that a Tuesday date was not picked just for the fun of it. Since the School Board set a "firm date" per the newspaper at the last meeting, I would recommend calling the School Board members to get their input on the collective reasoning. I don't know that waiting until the next meeting will do you any good.

I do know that middle of the week graduations are quite common elsewhere, as my husband has attended his nieces' graduations in Arizona, both in the past few years.

Good luck with getting the scoop!

I like it in the week. We dont all have weekends off. Alot of us work shifts and get tired of everything being around weekends. Think abotu all the people working at gas stations, casinoes,restarants,Wal-mart,grocery stores, most of Miles City, who dont get weekends off.

Again the folks of milescity.com continue to amaze me. Thus the reason I don't post here very often. I always hope that this discussion board will be just that - a discussion board. But it can't be - not for some people.

Does this directly involve your child? If so, we both have something at stake. I will follow up how I want but thanks for your suggestion.

But going back and forth on this forum is pointless. Everyone has their opinions - and that's just what they are - opinions. But everyone is entitled to one.

Jimmie - I understand that also. Anytime you have it will inconvenience someone. But as Denise so nicely put it "they set the graduation date more than a year advance. I would think for any job on this planet, this would be satisfactory notice."

And remember, in the long run, high school graduation ceremonies and parties are a pretty minor part of life. In fact, you can even survive without senior "bashes" and still go on to lead a useful and productive life. Just as with weddings, it isn't the ceremony that counts, it what you did to get there and what you do after that matters.

Thanks Cindy, you took the words right out of my mouth. I started this forum with the hopes of getting responses from parents that have a child in the class of 2011 but I guess I will need to pick up the phone and start calling. I would like to think that we have ample time to discuss this with the board or whomever or maybe actually have the senior class vote again "in school" with "everyone" present. Talk to you soon. I am done on here!!

graduation should be friday night on memorial day weekend...that way...if people want to get away they still can....and friends and family that want to stay for the long weekend can

What is the point of doing just enough to survive and get through life? Senior bash may fall into the tiniest spectrum of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, but its events like these that make life worth living. They provide abundant memories that in turn provide motivation for becoming successful in future endeavors. Yes, the world will still revolve around the sun even if we don't have a senior bash, but to say it isn't vital in an adolescent's development is poppy-cock.

Also, the whole idea of Senior Bash is to keep our young ones safe on a night that may compel them to not make the brightest of choices due to their new found freedom. We haven't lost anyone on graduation night for a long, long, long, time and I hate to see the class of 2011 break this most boastful of traditions due to graduation being on a Tuesday.

To Denise: Look at me, I can make faces too. Putting a smiley face after a semi-offensive remark is like saying "no offense" after putting someone down. There's still going to be animosity.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM..Your kid is graduating from High School.. Do you know how many do not make it to graduation. Regardless of the day make the day as special and eventfull as possible full of memories that will last a life time. This day is about the kids not the parents. I just can not understand the complaining.

Wow. Righteous indignation.

This whole thread started with "and I was wondering what people thought of this". There was no direct appeal only to people with kids graduating in the class of 2011. Sorry I answered the request to what "people", of which I am one, think of this situation. Geesh!
Ridiculous.

The flip-flopping going on here is amazing. First people are asked for their opinion, then, no, only people with graduates in the class of 2011 are asked for their opinion. Then, it's stated that it is a hardship to get off work, then, no, when someone else states that the desired way won't work for them, then they are told they have more than enough time to deal with the hardship.

If you really only want opinions that mesh with your opinion, then state that upfront, so the rest of us don't bother with our two cents. I forgot this was America.

And to Mr. Natural, what in the world was offensive in my statement? The only time I used an emoticon other than to say good luck with the information searching was about employment notification. The notion that over a year is not enough time to schedule time off is ludicrous in and of itself. It probably deserved a sarcastic emoticon instead.

Now, I will shut up because I don't have a child in the graduating class of 2011. I will keep it shut regarding any graduation-related subjects until my children are of the pertinent class. Appropriate enough for you?

Appropriate enough for you?

Yup!

Ya and what are the odds you have someone in this class Mr Natural to be butting in?

Ya and what are the odds you have someone in this class Mr Natural to be butting in?

Good enough odds to play in Vegas. That is, if you're a bettin man. Or woman?

I find it hard to believe that the presence of or lack of a senior bash would have any lasting effect on anyone except those sad, poor souls who still think that high school was the best time of their lives. There are still many meaningful ways to celebrate this milestone which don't require a major party. But I've probably been permanently damaged by not going to my law school graduation so maybe I'm biased.

Does everyone know that ALL of the parents of the class of 2011 were sent a ballot on which they could vote? Does everyone know that the high school administration ASKED all of the parents and students of that class to 1)Vote on a date and 2) return the ballot to the principal's office BY a certain date? This meant that the parents and children had to sit down and discuss this "issue" with their child and come to some sort of conclusion... This also meant that the child was asked to RETURN the ballot (filled out) to the high school business office, by the specified date.
Does everyone know that the school board (for several years now) has decided that school HAS TO BE DONE by May 30?
If there aren't enough weekends in the month, and school has to be done by a certain time, and some teachers and parents would dearly love to spend Memorial Day Weekend some where else for a change and not in a hot, humid, crowded gym ... You do the math.
Good luck with trying to sway the school board ... some of us have been trying to change the end of school year for years!

Graduation on a week night such as Tues is a great idea. It makes it difficult for all of those matriarchal aunts (every family has at least one) who would show up and steal the attention that is rightly focused on the graduate, on themselves to attend. The attention should be on what the graduate has accomplished, not on family that needs to be entertained.

[This message has been edited by Richard Bonine, Jr (4/5/2010)]

Auch Mein Gott!!! Che bordello...

(See Frau Mott? I haven't forgotten everything since graduation...)

Probably a trivial point but... according to the BHS website, BHS is May 13-16th this year. Memorial Day is May 30th. There is a weekend in between BHS and Memorial Day this year. Or is BHS the 20-23 this year? I would just like to know when BHS is for sure so I can plan to attend it.

The controversy is over the 2011 graduation, not this year's. Yes, the BHS is early this year.