As the third quarter comes to a close and dozens of seniors head out on internships, the season of senior events is closing in. Here is what you need to know:

May 17th: Breakfast!

To begin the final month of events, the 2024 Class Office has planned the annual senior sunrise and breakfast that will take place at 6 am on the stadium turf. Although this event is early, attendance is greatly encouraged regardless of how each person participates. Class Advisor Mrs. Allison explained, “Anyone can come at any time and can participate in any way they feel comfortable with. Students can come as late as 8:30 am and join their classmates for a bagel breakfast.” Senior Class President Bridget Patterson shares these hopes that the seniors will attend all of the events planned, but this one specifically views it as “A way to make some final memories with our classmates we’ve gone to school with for 4+ years and end our senior year on a good note.” 

This is the beginning of the final celebrations for seniors and attendance is extremely encouraged. Class of ‘24 Assistant Principal Ms. Theraiult said, “I encourage each of you to fully embrace the opportunities presented by the class office and advisors in the form of upcoming events. These events are not just opportunities for fun and celebration, but also chances to strengthen your bonds as a class and create lasting memories together.”

The 17th is also the last day of all classes and internships for seniors. “It’s one of the last days that will feel like school because it will fulfill all of your final requirements for your education here as students at RMHS,” said Mrs. Allison. Although many fun non-school related events are planned out for this day, there will also be required attendance for students to hand in any final projects for the 4th quarter.

Additionally, this is Destination Day for seniors. They are encouraged to wear some merchandise from the college, or another variation of merchandise for another path they may continue in the year following graduation to school for their last day. 

May 20th to May 23rd: Exams, Awards Night

Senior exams will take place in the Distance Learning Room for these three days. All seniors are not required to take these exams unless certain criteria are not met. Seniors who have earned at least a B (83-86), and have at most 6 unexcused absences in the class will be exempt from taking the final exam. If this criteria is not met seniors will be required to take an exam that is worth 10% or 20% of their grade depending on the length of the class. 

Additionally, on May 22nd a Senior Awards Night will take place in the PAC that evening from 7 to 8:30 pm. Many seniors will be awarded scholarships and other academic excellence recognition they may have been acknowledged for by the school or town of Reading. Attendance at this event is not required, and the recipients will be invited in advance. Once invited, the students will receive further details that will be sent out via email. 

On the 23rd seniors will also be required to turn in all class materials such as textbooks and other borrowed materials from the school and then pick up their caps and gowns in the PAC at 11:30 am.

May 24th: Elementary School Visits, Grad Rehearsal

Seniors who attended elementary school in Reading will visit them with the rest of their classmates in the class of 2024 who also attended them. Each student will receive a t-shirt specific to their school before leaving the school at 8:30 am to head over to their schools. Those who didn’t attend an elementary school in Reading are still welcome to come. They will get a red shirt specific to Reading colors and will visit Birch Meadow along with the other students who went there. This is because there is limited bus space to travel to the other elementary schools. Students who attended Birch Meadow will walk from the high school, and the rest of the students who attended the other elementary schools will take a bus departing from the PAC parking lot at 8:30 am.

Following these visits, seniors will have a mandatory graduation rehearsal at 11 am. This will either be outside on the stadium turf or inside in the fieldhouse, weather permitting. At the end of the school day, all grades close for seniors for quarter 4. 

May 28th: Senior Prom(enade)

Starting at 5 pm, the Senior Promenade (optional) will take place outside or inside of the PAC, weather permitting. All are welcome to attend in sending the seniors off to their final school dance. Leaving from the PAC after the promenade, students will take buses to Atkinson Country Club for the dance from 7 to 10 pm and are expected to arrive back at RMHS at 10:40 pm. Although this is the first year that prom will take place at Atkinson, Mrs. Allison explained, “Class officers toured multiple venues, considered a few, but when taking other outside factors, such as traffic into Boston, and the overall prices of the venues Atkinson was the best choice.”

May 29th: Baccalaureate Service

At one of the churches in or near Reading, there is an optional non-denominational service that will act as a ceremony celebrating the graduating seniors. Traditionally, this was a religious service that took place the Sunday before graduation, however, in modern times Principle Callanan explained, “It is non-denominational and anyone is welcome to attend.” The time and place of this event are to be determined and will be advertised once decided in the next coming weeks.

May 30th: Class Day, Grad Rehearsal

Class Day will begin at 8:30 am starting in the field house, and then seniors will walk through the halls to the PAC in their caps and gowns. The rest of the attendees will arrive at 9 am and go directly to the PAC. Juniors will be invited to attend this year to understand the expectations of what it will look like for them next year because there was a “disconnect in what this day is supposed to look like,” said Mrs. Allison. Last year juniors didn’t attend which left a lot of questions regarding what the event is supposed to look like. The goal of Class Day, according to Mrs. Allison, is to be an informal celebration of the senior class as opposed to a more formal ceremony later in the week.  The day will begin with an opening remark from the senior class officers, and continue with the senior superlatives voted on by the class. After all of the announcements, a class history of all of the years of education in Reading will be presented by the students. Mrs. Allison explained how the purpose of this day is a way to “Celebrate with your classmates and maybe have some nostalgia about leaving and continuing on a new journey.” As the morning comes to a close, a student from the grade will perform a skit similar to Mr. RMHS, and then the whole event will end with a slideshow of pictures along with a class song performed by the RMHS Chorus. 

Following this event, senior students will have a mandatory graduation rehearsal at 11 am in the field house. Afterward, the administration will distribute senior yearbooks as well as other portfolios of graded work and projects back to the students from all of their school years in the Reading Public School district. Additionally, that evening there will be a Senior BBQ on the stadium turf filled with food trucks, lawn events, and other activities. 

May 31st: Graduation

The final event of the seniors’ time at RMHS, and a way to celebrate all of their academic achievements, will be graduation taking place at 6 pm. The ceremony is planned to take place on the main stadium turf, but the rain location is inside of the field house. Seniors are asked to arrive at 4 pm for one last rehearsal and prepare before walking the stage. For both locations, the number of guests per senior is suggested to be 6 people maximum, but even then it will be super tight in both the field house and in the stadium. 

As the events are coming up fast, in an email interview Mrs. Theriault emphasizes to the senior class, “Remember, these final months are a time to cherish the friendships you’ve formed, celebrate your successes, and support one another as you prepare to embark on new adventures. Let’s make the most of our remaining time together and create memories that will last a lifetime.”