By Cathy Waters

For 8 years I've been attending The New School Graduation Ceremonies. My husband told me what I missed the first year, and I've made a point to be there ever since. Each year has been wonderful. This year was no exception, even though I thought it exceptional.

This year we celebrated on a Wednesday instead of the usual Friday. This year the weather was glorious, instead of the threatening rain. This year one teacher celebrated her 10th year at the school. This year there were 6 New School Graduates including my son, Kevin.

As with other years, the ceremonies began by putting the "stage" of picnic tables together. The staff wearing their traditional kimonos, passed the kids moving up from the Younger and Middle classes to their new teachers. Flowers (gorgeous roses!) and hugs abound.

Then "commencement" began. Jay and Susan spoke of the traditions and shared some of the gifts that the Graduates would receive. This year's New School Kimono was appliqued with reminders of the aquatic mural and personalized with the many "pies" (projects) that the students "baked" and "shared" this year. Each had ribbons for each year the student attended The New School. The Graduate Photos included shots from the New York Trip, and the crew on the school roof. Graduate roulette had other students randomly select the from the six diplomas who would be first to come up and walk the tables, to the sound of the audience humming "Pomp and Circumstance".

I can't describe how I felt when my son was called up. Here he was, confident, cheerful, ready to move on. Over half his life had been spent with this extended family. The school has been a nurturing environment embodied by these teachers and their practice of letting him be himself, and learn in his own way. The smiles, tears, memories and experiences from the The New School of Monmouth County (K-8) may be behind, but they'll follow and support him and his classmates going forward.

June 1999