** Note: The information below was originally sent to seniors and parents of seniors on April 23. As the last weeks of school approach, we are re-sending this communication so that you have this information about end of year senior events and graduation at your fingertips. Please feel free to contact the Upper School office with any questions. **

Dear Parents and Guardians of the Class of 2018,

Spring is an exciting time for seniors and their parents as the work of college applications gives way to anticipation of graduation, summer plans, and starting college. It is an exciting time for SSFS faculty as well, looking forward to the graduation of another group of students we have come to know well. As we look forward, I want to draw your attention to important information, below, regarding key spring events of particular interest to your senior and you. For those of you with recent graduates, please note the dates of events carefully as they may be different from previous years.

• Senior-Parent Meeting for Worship– June 6: Please join us in the SSFS Meeting House at 7:15 pm for a special Meeting for Worship for parents and graduates. A reception will be held immediately following MFW. This event is hosted by Jonathan Oglesbee, J. Cole, Ben McClellan, Ilene Lees, and Leah Niepold. 
• Senior Graduation Rehearsal – June 8: At 10:30 am all seniors are required to participate in graduation rehearsal, as well as the luncheon and Senior Meeting for Worship following. We will meet in the SSFS Meeting House.
• Senior Student Luncheon - June 8: Immediately following the rehearsal, all seniors should plan to attend a special luncheon in their honor from 12:00 – 1:15 pm. This luncheon will be followed by the Senior-Faculty Meeting for Worship (see below).
• Senior Meeting for Worship – June 8: At 1:30 pm, following the Senior Luncheon, all seniors, faculty (PK-12), and staff will meet in the SSFS Meeting House for Meeting for Worship, lasting approximately one hour.
• Graduation - June 9: Seniors should arrive no later than 8:45 am for a class photo and to get their corsages. The Ceremony: Commencement will take place on Saturday, June 9th, at 10:00 am at the center of the Sandy Spring Friends School campus. The program will include musical selections as well as remarks from members of the Class of 2018, Head of School Tom Gibian, and others. Following our sharing of silent worship, diplomas will be presented. If weather that day prevents us from holding the ceremony outside, graduation will be in the Performing Arts Center instead. In this case, seating will be significantly limited, and only those guests holding tickets will be admitted to the PAC (see more detailed information in "Essential Graduation Information," below). To get a sense of the day, you can see photos from last year's graduation ceremony here. 
• Dress for Graduation: Students are expected to wear semi-formal dress appropriate to this spring occasion. Appropriate choices might include clothing representative of one's cultural or ethnic heritage, and/or one's identity, while respecting the significance of this community celebration. Faculty and students will prepare a rosebud corsage for each senior to wear during graduation.
  
• Final Grades and Transcripts: Final transcripts will be sent to colleges the week of June 18th. Please be sure that all tuition, fees, and bookstore commitments are fulfilled as soon as possible, as transcripts cannot be released to any college if a student's account is not current. Most colleges confirm acceptance only after receipt of the final transcript. Any senior who fails a required course will be notified no later than Friday, June 8th. A senior in this situation (we hope there are none!) may participate in graduation ceremonies but will not receive a diploma or final transcript until all graduation requirements have been met.

ESSENTIAL GRADUATION INFORMATION:

The Class of 2018 Graduation Ceremony will take place outdoors on the SSFS campus (in front of the Meeting House), weather permitting. Outdoor seating will not require a ticket and will be unassigned. However, in the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will take place in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) on campus, for which tickets will be required. Seating is limited in the PAC, therefore each senior will be given six (6) "inclement weather" tickets. In addition, each senior will be given six (6) invitations and twenty-eight (28) announcements. Extra invitations can be requested from Frances Lambrecht, Registrar, via email at fran.lambrecht@ssfs.org or phone at 301-774-7455 extension 110. Please let us know well in advance if you have a guest who has a disability or will have special physical needs for seating the day of graduation.

We all look forward to these celebrations as students experience their remaining few weeks as SSFS students. Please do not hesitate to contact Frances Lambrecht or me if you have any questions about these events.

In anticipation,

Jonathan Oglesbee
Upper School Head