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Parents

Commencement Information

The time is upons us: our students are back from break, we’ve seen many of you at Family Days, and now commencement is on the horizon. Congratulations to both you and your NMH graduate! As this exciting weekend approaches, we want to make sure you have all of the information you need in one place. 

Accommodations Many other schools and colleges are holding commencements and many people are vacationing on the weekend of May 24–25. Most hotels in the Deerfield Valley south of NMH are fully booked. If you still need to make reservations we suggest looking north to Brattleboro, VT or Keene, NH for the greatest availability. Limited on-campus housing has been made available for this year only. Contact Rafaela Caliccio for details at 413-498-3361. Check NMH's list of area lodging by clicking here.

Announcements Announcements are optional and are typically sent to extended friends and loved ones so that they feel included in the celebration without the formality of an invitation to the ceremony.  Click here to download this year’s sample graduation announcement and official order form.

Caps and gowns Regalia belongs to the school and is loaned to students for Baccalaureate and Commencement exercises. Immediately after commencement caps and gowns are to be returned or a fee will be charged.

Handicap accessibility NMH will have golf carts circulating between the parking areas and the field and around the campus to assist anyone with special needs. Please take advantage of this complimentary service. Handicap restrooms are available in nearly all buildings except the older dormitories.

Invitations By now you should have received your invitation to NMH Commencement Exercises. Your graduate was given eight more invitations that may be sent to whomever they and you wish. More invitations are available on request, but announcements are a nice alternative way to get the word out.

Parking Security officers will direct you to campus parking on commencement morning. If you have special needs for parking please stop to inform the officer. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic on campus will be heavy so please obey speed limits and allow extra time for parking.

Photography Professional photographers from Commencement Photo, Inc. will take one candid shot of every student accepting his or her diploma and one posed shot at the bottom of the stage. We encourage you to utilize the professional photographers and limit personal photography for the benefit of all commencement guests. Designated photo areas will be marked. An order form for the professional services of Commencement Photo, Inc. was mailed to you in a packet from NMH on April 28. You may also order from their website.

Press releases A downloadable press release form is available here. This form will help you include all of the appropriate graduation details for a press release about your graduate that you can send to local media after all awards are given May 24. Print, fill out, and send the form to your local newspaper or other media outlet (not to NMH). You may want to request specific submission requirements before sending.

Rain plan In case of inclement weather commencement will be held in The Auditorium on the Northfield campus. If the weather is questionable a decision will be announced at Class Day Exercises on Saturday at 2 pm. A ticket will be required for entry to The Auditorium (see “Tickets” for details). Directions to The Auditorium are on the parents page of the NMH website.

Shipping and storage Campus dormitories will close at 5 pm on May 25. Please remove all personal items from your graduate’s room. Anything left behind will be donated to charity. Summer storage may be available at local facilities such as Bernardston Self Storage (413-648-5393), or you may seek permission to ship directly to the college your graduate plans to attend in the fall. The NMH campus UPS store will be open only during weekdays and will be closed Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day so encourage your graduate to start packing and to ship before commencement weekend. Click here for one storage option.

Tickets No tickets are necessary if commencement is on Thorndike Field and anyone may attend. Each graduate has been given eight rain tickets in case commencement is moved to the Auditorium. Seats in the Auditorium are reserved for ticket-holding guests only.  If you plan to have a lot of people in attendance, please discuss with your graduate how and to whom the rain tickets will be distributed. 

This page of information should answer most of your questions, but if you have any further questions or specific concerns please call or write to Becky Neubert, associate director of alumni and parent programs, at 413-498-3335 or events@nmhschool.org. 

Please remember to keep checking the parents page for updates as the weekend approaches. 

Congratulations on the accomplishments of your NMH senior—we look forward to celebrating with you in May!

NMH Commencement Planning Team

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