Blake Graduation Updates
May 23, 2020
Class of 2020 Commencement Ceremonies
James Hubert Blake High School is proud to announce the commencement ceremonies for our students in the class of 2020!!
As you know, there will be two different commencement ceremonies:
- The Montgomery County Public Schools Universal Graduation Ceremony. This ceremony will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 7, 2020. This ceremony will be emceed by Leon Harris of NBC 4. It will feature remarks from Superintendent of Schools Jack Smith, Board of Education President Shebra Evans, video messages from MCPS alumni and a keynote address from Jose Andres, chef, humanitarian and founder of World Kitchen Central. The MCPS Universal Graduation will be produced in collaboration with NBC4 and will air on Cozi TV (broadcast over-the-air on channel 4.2, Verizon Fios channel 460, and Xfinity channel 208) and on MCPS TV (Comcast channel 34, Verizon channel 36 and RCN channel 89). It will also stream live on the MCPS website. Parents, guardians and family members are encouraged to email short videos and photos honoring their graduates to pio@mcpsmd.org. These pieces may be included during the Universal Graduation on June 7.
- The James Hubert Blake High School Graduation Ceremony will take place at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2020. This ceremony will feature staff and student speakers, Blake Class of 2020 student performances, recognition of our class of 2020, and our online virtual tassel turn and cap toss! Information on how to access our ceremony will be provided in the near future.
Graduation Information Needed
- Slide options- we have two slide choices for graduates- one slide allows the graduate to include one quote, the other does not include a quote. They each include a picture of the graduate, the graduates name, the following possible customization options. (Samples of the slides are below)
- Quote- for students who would like to include one quote they can include a quote they are fond of or a message from family members
- Plans after High School-Students will have an opportunity to include basic information about plans after high school. This would include the name of the college or trade school they are attending, the name of the military branch they are joining, or a career field they will be entering. This is not a full listing, just a brief description.
- Pictures- We will use the student senior pictures that are in the yearbook for consistency. If we do not have a senior picture we will reach out to our families to get a copy of a picture you may have.
- Name Pronunciation- We want to make sure that we accurately reflect the way you pronounce your student's name, so you will also be able to share that information.
Please fill out this form ( https://forms.gle/52PS8jrsjhzTBk3o8 )by Wednesday, May 27, 2020 so we can adequately prepare our slideshow for graduation.
Questions- contact Mr. Sinclair
Graduation Celebrations
Please email pictures of your graduates cap toss and family celebrations with your graduate in their caps and gowns to Mr. Sinclair by Sunday, May 31st! We will be creating a montage of our seniors and their families celebrating to end our graduation ceremony.
Email pictures to Robert_Sinclair@mcpsmd.org
Cap and Gown Pick Up
Seniors will be able to drop off all Blake materials they still have (books, uniforms, costumes, etc), except chromebooks and pick up their caps, gowns, tassels, cords, and more.
We have revised our process and are looking forward to celebrating our seniors, responsibly, as they do this. There is detailed information below, here is an outline of our process.
- Before you leave home you need two sheets of paper. On one we need you to neatly write your full name and student ID number. On the second we need you to write your first and last name as large as you can on that sheet of paper.
- Seniors will enter the student parking lot and drive to the back
- Ms. O'Neill will be at the back of the student parking lot at a table, seniors should stop, get a trash bag from Ms. O'Neill that you will use to return your items.
- Seniors then head to the drop off lane where you will pack up all of the items you are returning in the bag, place the sheet of paper with your name and ID number in the bag and you may get out of your car and place the bag on the sidewalk along the drop off lane. Please be sure to maintain a safe distance from others, you are only getting out to drop off your bag.
- Seniors will then drive to the front of the building where you will show Mr. Brown your name that you wrote large and clearly on the second sheet of paper. You will pull right up next to the table we have set up. We will find your senior items and place them in a bag for you to take.
- Seniors will then head towards the Johnson Road exit where we are planning on having staff members, safely of course, celebrating you!
- Down by the cafeteria we will have a Blake backdrop set up for any students who want to INDIVIDUALLY take a picture or two in front of the backdrop.
Please see the information below for cap and gown pick up times by last name and a visual of our process. PLEASE ONLY COME DURING YOUR ASSIGNED TIMES- your caps and gowns will not be ready for you to pick up during other times.
There will be an opportunity later on for students to retrieve items in the building such as items in lockers, classrooms, and being displayed in art exhibits throughout the building. This will not occur at this time.
Questions- Contact Mr. Sinclair
James Hubert Blake High School
James Hubert Blake High School is a Signature School for the Fine Arts and Humanities
#WeAreBlake — #BengalPride
Email: Robert_Sinclair@mcpsmd.org
Website: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/blakehs/
Location: 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD, United States
Phone: (240)740-1400
Facebook: facebook.com/BlakeHSPrincipal/
Twitter: @Blake_Principal