Wow! We went from 6:30 to 9:45. Musicians started at 5:00 for rehearsal! It would have helped for the seating team to arrive early and have the Parents seating signs up by 6:15. We spent the first 20 min. sorting that out. Then, we put the Seniors in order and got the name pronunciation correct. Then, a run through including the diploma presentation with parents. Parents signed the diplomas. The diplomas were put in order with post its on the ones needing a microphone. Musicians rehearsed again from 9:30 on.

Commencements Speakers: Abby Martin (last announcement, we had the wrong last name!), Christen McAfee

Senior Banquet, April 9th: Deadline March 29th. You may buy tickets at the meeting. Details – http://www.mpegraduation.net/?cat=19

Seating reservations due: Send your reservations request for immediate family (and grandparents) to mpe2010seating@sbcglobal.net . Include the number of family members, contact name, contact phone number.

Order your announcements!

Transcripts for 30 second live blessing should be sent

The program team will be putting together the actual paper program and you will get a chance to check it for correctness, spelling, etc. I’ll be glad to address any questions, comments, or concerns you may have about the order.

At rehearsal, we’ll talk about the timing for each item, but here’s a brief word on the rose ceremony. We’ll have a one-minute introduction from one of the graduates, which will describe the purpose of the ceremony and give instructions regarding logistics. Then the grads will have 5 minutes to get out of their seats, hand out roses, and back into their seats. The music team will provide live music during the ceremony, and we will instruct the grads (at rehearsal) as to the cue to make their way back to their seats.

If everything goes according to plan, the ceremony will last 89 minutes. I’m now accepting bets on the over/under. Just kidding.

Here’s the order:

processional*
welcome
prayer
hymn*
speeches
diplomas
rose intro
rose ceremony*
prayer
recessional*

*music

We now have 77 Graduates.
Our next meeting is January 28th, 7-9pm at the Carlsen Center in Johnson County Community College Room 233. Parking is available on either side of the Carlsen Center. Use the elevator on the south side of the main room in the Carlsen Center to get to the 2nd floor.

One parent and the graduate MUST attend this meeting and bring all information described below. Missed deadlines may keep you from being included in the program, video display or conference poster and may require you to obtain your own cap and gown and/or diploma.

If you have signed up to deliver a speech at graduation, please arrive at 6:30pm ready to give that speech.

Cap and Gown Measurements: Arrive at 6:40 in shoes you will wear to ceremony for measurement OR measure at home and email the info to garyrose@kc.surewest.net. Please measure the student’s height from floor to top of head while wearing shoes they will wear to ceremony. Measure around head just above ears and across the forehead.
Diploma info: School name, city, state, graduate’s full name, quote, if desired emailed to mvolz@kc.rr.com

Senior biography: 75 words or less emailed to: theladds5@gmail.com

Rose recipient list: 7 or fewer people that have influenced the graduate may receive a rose. Please email the names to: theladds5@gmail.com

Photos: Bring one wallet sized picture to the Poster Team or mail it by January 28th to : Billy Ward, 727 SW Derby Dr., Lee’s Summit, MO 64081

Bring 4-5 pictures (your name on the back) to the Video Team that you would like to be in a video display that will run before and after graduation. OR You may email the scanned photos to kklassen@fastmail.us

Class Verse, Motto or Quote. We will pass out ballots to all graduates at the meeting, collect them, and hopefully, announce the winners at the end of the Team Meeting time. You may vote for one verse, one motto and one quote, if desired.

One thing that wasn’t very clear was the need for the Program Team to receive a Senior Picture in jpeg format. If you didn’t do this, there is still a little time. Please send immediately to theladds@everestkc.net.

This year’s Senior Banquet will be a bit different than before, a “Murder Mystery Dinner Theater”. It will be Friday, April 9th, 6:30pm-9:30 at Harvest Ridge Covenant Church (22015 Midland Drive, Shawnee, KS). For more info: http://www.mpegraduation.net/?p=408.

All deadline info was turned in at meeting.

Lots of questions and answers. Teams met.

It is so good to work with you! Thank you for your willingness to help and serve wherever needed.

Deadlines are posted on the website. Please review them and be prepared to meet them.

Dawn Miller needs to hear from you TODAY, if you are able to come to the Bonfire. If we have 20 interested, it will happen. You can respond by commenting on the website under this link, which also has details. http://www.mpegraduation.net/?p=357

2nd (and last) order of T-shirts deadline October 10. Details here: http://www.mpegraduation.net/?cat=3

Things we forgot to tell you:
1. We will have a class verse, motto, or quote. If you have suggestions for this, post them here. http://www.mpegraduation.net/?cat=30
2. Student Address: at graduation, we may have a student give a 2 minute speech. If any student wishes to do this, please prepare a 2 minute speech to be given at the January meeting to a small panel of judges during the Team meeting section. You must notify us at this email address, by January 10th, if you will be participating.
3. There are a small number of people not signed up for a team (the right column of the contact info spreadsheet attached). You need to volunteer soon, the teams have begun and your help is needed. Let us know where you would like to serve.

We had a great time (and great weather) for the Picnic. It was great to meet some of you and get to know you a little bit!
The T-shirt team asked for input on the t-shirts they are creating. They look good. Check them out!

The Fun Team announced a Boating Event (Aug. 11), Worlds of Fun (Sept. 12) and Scavenger Hunt (Aug 15).

Thanks to everyone who signed up for a Team. If you haven’t signed up, click here. We need everyone else to sign up soon. Some of the Teams are already full. We need some people to record parental blessings for those that don’t want to give a live blessing. This is under the A/V Team, if you are able to do this, sign up for that team.

The next meeting will be Sept. 28th. See you there.

The Big Ideas:

Use the website- This will be our main form of communication.

Teams are empowered to make the decisions – Teams are encouraged to be creative and make your mark on this event.  We have notes from previous years that you are welcome to use where it helps you meet your goals.

If you have knowledge in Audio/Visual areas, we need to hear from you.

If you are willing to be our Treasurer (manage our books, write checks), please let us know.

If you want to help with the Summer Picnic, sign up now.

We also had people make corrections to our Contact List and sign authorizations to make your information available to other graduates.  At the picnic, we will have this available again.  We will email the list when we get authorization to do so.

We really enjoyed meeting those of you who were able to join us and look forward to meeting the rest of you at upcoming events.

Brenda and Darren