MEMS graduation will move
to Brookdale college in June
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
ENGLISHTOWN — Graduation ceremonies for the 700-member eighth-grade class at the Manalapan Englishtown Mid-dle School (MEMS) will move to a new location in June.
After holding graduation ceremonies for 10 years at Manalapan High School, the event will move to the Brookdale Community College gymnasium, Lincroft, according to MEMS Principal Robert Williams.
Discussing the matter at a recent meeting of the Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District Board of Educa-tion, Williams noted that rain and heat have posed problems in the past when the MEMS graduation was held at the high school football field.
That prompted the principal to discuss several options with Superintendent of Schools Dr. Maureen Lally, and for Williams and Joseph Passiment Jr., the district’s business administrator, to go to the college to explore the feasibility of holding graduation at the school.
"What I am looking for is to move (graduation) to Brookdale Community College," Williams said.
The principal said he had to lock in June 17 as the date for the graduation because there are 10 to 15 other schools that usually use the college for their graduation ceremony.
Williams told the board most of the other schools are locked in at least a year before their graduations and said he had to choose the date last June in order to reserve it for the school.
In the past, Williams said, he received complaints from people who arrived late to graduation because of the traffic backups on Church Lane near Manalapan High School.
Administrators looked at other locations to hold the graduation, he said. These included Convention Hall, Asbury Park; the Great Auditorium, Ocean Grove; the Count Basie Theatre, Red Bank; Monmouth University, West Long Branch; Georgian Court College, Lakewood; and the Strand Theater, Lakewood.
Administrators also considered the PNC Bank Arts Center, Holmdel, but found it to be too costly, $16,000, and he noted that graduation could be bumped off the schedule depending on the facility’s calendar of concerts.
Williams said Brookdale appeared to be the best choice.
"It’s air conditioned, and parents would get three tickets," he said. "They (Brook-dale) take care of traffic control. The police are on the campus."
Williams noted the cost for the use of the Brookdale facility would be $3,200, which was a considerable savings over past graduation ceremonies.
"That’s for 700 graduates," he said.
Other options were also discussed regarding ways that siblings, and others, might be able to view the ceremony. Those options will be explored during the coming months and will be checked for feasibility.
Williams said there are a few things which have to be ironed out: where to place the band; the size of the band; what time the ceremony will start; and transportation of students.
The board subsequently gave its approval of the plan to hold the ceremony at Brookdale.