Hello,

Montgomery's administration recently sent out an email saying that the Class of 2017 graduation would not be held outdoors in the stadium, but rather, in the school gymnasium. The reasoning for this was so that the track could be renovated.

As you may imagine, this is extremely disappointing, to both the students and their families.

Some of the major points of contention:

-It shows that the administration values the graduating seniors less than a simple renovation.

-There are few teams, if any, who need the track right after school lets out for the summer, which begs the question why the renovation must occur so early in the year.

-The school district as a whole often has agendas planned out months and years in advance, yet the general public was notified only a month before graduation? Renovations do not tend to spring out of nowhere and are usually planned well in advance.

-Indoor graduations are much more cramped, making it much more difficult for extended family to come, and do not allow the students to face their parents during this prestigious ceremony. Also, the limited space in the gymnasium means that many of the students' family members will have to watch a video of the performance from the auditorium, rather than being able to see their family in person.

So what can we do about this?

We can come together as a collective effort and petition to have the administration push the date of the renovation back. The students have been working incredibly hard for the past 12 years, and they should be able to get the graduation they deserve.

As taxpayers to the township of Montgomery, we should be able to have a say in when these renovations occur, and to make sure that they do not interfere with what is arguably one of the most important moments of a person's life.

If you wish to get more involved, you can email the administration and ask them to push the track renovation date back. It's going to take a lot of support, so if you wish, get your family and friends on board too with signing this petition and emailing the administration. Every little bit helps.

Email all of these addresses:

MHS Principal: ppopadiuk@mtsd.us
MTSD Superintendent: ngartenberg@mtsd.us
Board of Education: bdofed@mtsd.us ; or call (609)466-7601

Thank you for your time, and please, if you value the Class of 2017 getting the graduation they have earned, consider signing this petition.