HKMS Celebrates 2020 8th Graders

HKMS celebrated its grade 8 students with a Promotion Parade on Friday evening, June12, 2020. Social distancing guidelines have placed limits on large gatherings, but the school felt strongly that they wanted to still find a way to recognize the promotion of its eighth graders to high school. Grade 8 team leader, Robin Duffield, suggested a “promotion parade” and the idea took off.

Students were encouraged to decorate their cars by highlighting their name, clubs and activities they participated in while at the middle school and also showing what high school they would be attending. Cars arrived with streamers and balloons attached, enlarged pictures and posters, and there was even a giant rubber duckie tied to the bed of a truck. With music playing in the background, Michele Ouellette, the Lead Teacher for Student Life, announced each student’s name through a speaker as they drove into the big circle in front of the school and Principal Dolores Bates, wearing gloves and a mask, specially made to show her cougar pride by 8th grade parent Maura Natanzon, presented each student with their promotion certificate.

161 students of the 172 in the class attended the parade. Principal Bates expressed afterward, “Not having seen our students for three months has been really hard. The spring of 8th grade usually comes with a lot of activities and we are able to connect with students in a different way because of those activities. Eighth graders really blossom and mature in the final months of the year and because of the school closure we missed all of that. I really love that I was able to speak to each student and wish them well on their next journey when they stopped for their certificate. This is the first group of students I am promoting as principal, and they hold a special place in my heart.”

After receiving their certificate, each car drove through a balloon arch and around the circle, stopping for a gift bag from their team leader, and waving to teachers and other staff who lined the sidewalk to cheer on the students. Many staff held congratulatory posters and had noisemakers and cow bells to add to the festive spirit of the evening. Before students exited the middle school driveway for the last time, the HKIMS PTO provided them with a scoop of ice cream and toppings from the Ice Cream Emergency food truck. Principal Bates also expressed her sincere appreciation for the time, money and effort the HKIMS PTO and the Class Night Committee put into helping to make the event special by providing the balloon decorations and the cup sign in the fence that says, “Congrats 8th Grade” for all to see as they drive by the middle school.

Additionally, as is typical at the promotion ceremony, an eighth grade parent was awarded the Sergeant George Dingwall Community Service Award. Sgt. Dingwall was a Haddam resident and a Middletown Police Officer. Sgt. Dingwall died twenty years ago in the line of duty. His children attended HKMS and during his short lifetime, he volunteered at countless community events. This award is given annually to a community volunteer who has contributed valuable time and effort to the students and staff of Haddam Killingworth Middle School. Principal Bates presented parent Jennifer Savoy with the award when her family drove in, saying, “We honor you for spending the past four years keeping the books for our middle school PTO, and revitalizing the organization so that it can support our students in many ways. We know it is not an easy task, and we want to recognize your commitment to our school community.”