Showing posts with label Quince Orchard High School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quince Orchard High School. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

Students forced out of Montgomery County high school by water main break


MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A water main break forced students at Quince Orchard High School in Montgomery County to leave the main building on Friday.

"We have evacuated the main building due to a water main break impacting building systems. (Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service) is on site assessing the situation. Students are safe and are being supervised in the Cougar Dome," the school said in a message to parents.

The school did not say what caused the break or how long repairs might take...

https://wjla.com/news/local/students-forced-out-of-montgomery-county-high-school-by-water-main-break-quince-orchard-high-school-evacuation

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

School board appoints new Montgomery Blair, Quince Orchard High principals


...The Montgomery County school board approved Thursday several appointments for school principals, including for Quince Orchard and Montgomery Blair high schools.  

In a 6-2 vote, the school board appointed Irinia LaGrange to be the principal Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg. LaGrange currently serves as the director of college and career readiness and districtwide programs for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Board members Rita Montoya and Grace Rivera-Oven voted against the appointment, but didn’t explain why during the board meeting. LaGrange formerly served as the principal of Tilden Middle School in Rockville. 

Beth Thomas, the former Quince Orchard principal, announced her retirement from the school principal role in October, according to the school’s student newspaper The Prowler.  

The school board unanimously voted to appoint Damon Monteleone, the current associate superintendent of the MCPS Office of Well-Being and Student Services, to serve as the principal of Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring. According to Monteleone’s LinkedIn profile, he served as the assistant principal of Paint Branch High in Burtonsville from 2010 to 2014 and from 2014 to 2021, he served as the principal of Richard Montgomery in Rockville. He then served as the MCPS assistant chief of schools and then as an associate superintendent. Monteleone was a finalist for The Washington Post principal of the year in 2020 when he served as principal of Richard Montgomery...

 https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/05/22/school-board-appoints-montgomery-blair-quince-orchard/

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

UPDATE: Quince Orchard High School is across the street from where the teen was found at the McDonald's.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

*185 Schools* on MD COVID-19 Dashboard including @mcps Clarksburg ES, Paint Branch HS, Quince Orchard HS

 Previous weekly reports at this link.

Clarksburg Elementary Montgomery 2 12/8/2021

Paint Branch High School Montgomery 7 12/8/2021

Quince Orchard High School Montgomery 4 12/8/2021

Saint Bernadette School Montgomery 8 12/8/2021

Saint Raphael School Montgomery 3 12/8/2021


As a reminder, the Maryland Dashboard uses the following criteria for reporting COVID-19 cases.  Not all cases are reported, only those that satisfy the following criteria.

  Note: This dataset reflects public and non-public K-12 schools in Maryland that have COVID-19 outbreaks. Data are based on local health department reports to MDH, which may be revised if additional information becomes available. This list does not include child care facilities or institutes of higher education.

Schools listed meet 1 or more of the following criteria:

    1) At least two confirmed COVID-19 cases among students/teachers/staff within a 14-day period and who are epidemiologically linked, but not household contacts; or

    2) Three or more classrooms or cohorts with cases from separate households that meet the classroom/cohort outbreak definition that occurs within 14 days; or

    3) Five percent or more unrelated students/teachers/staff have confirmed COVID-19 within a 14 day period (minimum of 10 unrelated students/teachers/staff).

Cases reported reflect the current total number of cases. Schools are removed from the list when health officials determine 14 days have passed with no new cases and no tests pending. Archival data is available through the COVID-19 open data catalogue.

These data are updated weekly on Wednesdays during the 10 a.m. hour. MDH is continuously evaluating its data and reporting systems and will make updates as more data becomes available.

 https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/school-resources


Monday, November 1, 2021

Educator Abuse: Why Leaving Teaching Was Similar to Leaving My Abusive Marriage #mcps #mocoboe

After resigning from my teaching position last month, I felt very much the same way I did when I frantically packed a bag of essentials and escaped my abusive marriage. At both of these times, I was immersed in a dense fog which made things right in front of me strategically unclear. I was unsure that leaving was the right decision, and I was fearful that I would be unable to find my way on my own. In my mind, it was entirely possible that the problem actually was me and not the toxic behavior I had been subjected to on a daily basis. In both scenarios, I was codependent and in love. When you’re in an abusive relationship of any kind, whether it’s with a person or a job, it’s easy to fall victim to the endless gaslighting you experience and accept a multitude of untruths as reality...

...They are told to wait for yet another month or two to be paid for the required summer training they completed and to risk themselves and their young, unvaccinated children to return to the building during a pandemic. They become burnt out and beaten down by unsustainable expectations and lack of support.

It is then that an exodus seems imminent. 

Union representatives call for their members to organize and take action. It’s brought to public attention that educational staff are being taken advantage of, lied to, disrespected, and hurt. Speeches are made at Board of Education meetings. Educators take to the streets and to social media...

...Somehow, the final straw wasn’t when I was given all five of my teaching periods in a row, leaving me without a bathroom break for nearly five straight hours.

  • It wasn’t when the light bulb on my Promethean board burnt out and wasn’t replaced for at least four months, resulting in my students, many of whom had special ed accommodations, going without visual aids for a good portion of the school year.
  • It wasn’t when I was advised to put my personal values aside and pass students on to the next grade or graduation even if they had not demonstrated mastery of basic skills.
  • It wasn’t when I was blamed for those students’ failure by being told year after year that it was my responsibility and my responsibility alone to get them to pass.
  • It wasn’t when I had to constantly beg for more than 3 years for an air conditioner and space heater to be placed in my classroom so that I would stop fainting from the heat and developing painful sores from the cold...
  • It wasn’t even when my ADA accommodations were denied and I was told to return to the classroom despite my doctor’s letter stating the very high risk of my becoming permanently disabled if exposed to the COVID-19 virus...
..This was the case when the school system failed to offer their majority-female staff paid maternity leave; in order to assist its impacted members, the union worked to develop a system in which teachers could “donate” their unused sick days to fellow staff members in need. It was the case when I fainted from overheating in my classroom for the fourth or fifth time and a close friend took it upon herself to track down a window AC unit to install. Similarly, when ADA accommodations were denied to countless teachers during the pandemic, empathetic colleagues stepped in to cover their classes so that at-risk teachers could remain safely virtual. And when the county failed to secure COVID-19 vaccinations for their staff prior to forcing a return to the buildings, many teachers joined a large network of “vaccine hunting” volunteers who stayed up late into the night and woke before sunrise to obsessively refresh pharmacy and massvax web pages in order to score appointments for unvaccinated staff...

 ...If they leave mid-year for any reason, they risk having their teaching license revoked.  When they call HR for help, they have their future job prospects and livelihood threatened...

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

MD COVID-19 Outbreak at Schools: Burning Tree Elementary (Bethesda) and Quince Orchard High School ( Gaithersburg - ongoing outbreak)

Allegany High School Allegany 4 09/08/21
Braddock Middle School Allegany 2 09/08/21
Fort Hill High School Allegany 4 09/08/21
Arundel Christian School Anne Arundel 4 09/08/21
Glen Burnie High School Anne Arundel 3 09/08/21
St. Paul's Lutheran School Anne Arundel 4 09/08/21
St. Philip-Neri School Anne Arundel 2 09/08/21
The Key School Anne Arundel 4 09/08/21
Friends School Baltimore City 2 09/08/21
Lillie May Jackson Charter Public School Baltimore City 16 09/08/21
Saint Frances Academy Baltimore City 2 09/08/21
Randallstown High School Baltimore County 2 09/08/21
Woodlawn High School Baltimore County 4 09/08/21
Century High School Carroll 6 09/08/21
Westminster High School Carroll 2 09/08/21
Bohemia Manor High School Cecil 3 09/08/21
Archbishop Neale School Charles 2 09/08/21
Ballenger Creek Middle School Frederick 4 09/08/21
Blue Heron Elementary School Frederick 2 09/08/21
Brunswick High School Frederick 2 09/08/21
Carroll Manor Elementary School Frederick 3 09/08/21
Frederick Christian Academy Frederick 4 09/08/21
Glade Elementary School Frederick 4 09/08/21
Lewistown Elementary School Frederick 5 09/08/21
Linganore High School Frederick 3 09/08/21
Monocacy Elementary School Frederick 3 09/08/21
Thurmont Middle School Frederick 11 09/08/21
Walkersville High School Frederick 4 09/08/21
Whittier Elementary School Frederick 2 09/08/21
C. Milton Wright High School Harford 3 09/08/21
John Carroll School Harford 5 09/08/21
Atholton Adventist Academy Howard 2 09/08/21
Dayton Elementary School Howard 2 09/08/21
Ducketts Lane Elementary School Howard 2 09/08/21
Hammond High School Howard 2 09/08/21
Marriotts Ridge High School Howard 4 09/08/21
River Hill High School Howard 2 09/08/21
Trinity School Howard 2 09/08/21
Burning Tree Elementary School Montgomery 2 09/08/21
Quince Orchard High School Montgomery 25 09/08/21
Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School Prince George's 7 09/08/21
Potomac High School Prince George's 2 09/08/21
Reid Temple Academy Prince George's 3 09/08/21
Kent Island High School Queen Anne's 3 09/08/21
Chopticon High School St. Mary's 7 09/08/21
St. John's School St. Mary's 5 09/08/21
Broadfording Christian Academy Washington 2 09/08/21
Hancock Middle-Senior High School Washington 3 09/08/21
Old Forge Elementary School Washington 2 09/08/21
Parkside High School Wicomico 15 09/08/21
Wicomico Day School Wicomico 5 09/08/21
Steven Decatur High School Worcester 6 09/08/21

As a reminder, the Maryland Dashboard uses the following criteria for reporting COVID-19 cases.  Not all cases are reported, only those that satisfy the following criteria.

  Note: This dataset reflects public and non-public K-12 schools in Maryland that have COVID-19 outbreaks. Data are based on local health department reports to MDH, which may be revised if additional information becomes available. This list does not include child care facilities or institutes of higher education.

Schools listed meet 1 or more of the following criteria:

    1) At least two confirmed COVID-19 cases among students/teachers/staff within a 14-day period and who are epidemiologically linked, but not household contacts; or

    2) Three or more classrooms or cohorts with cases from separate households that meet the classroom/cohort outbreak definition that occurs within 14 days; or

    3) Five percent or more unrelated students/teachers/staff have confirmed COVID-19 within a 14 day period (minimum of 10 unrelated students/teachers/staff).

Cases reported reflect the current total number of cases. Schools are removed from the list when health officials determine 14 days have passed with no new cases and no tests pending. Archival data is available through the COVID-19 open data catalogue.

These data are updated weekly on Wednesdays during the 10 a.m. hour. MDH is continuously evaluating its data and reporting systems and will make updates as more data becomes available.

 https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/school-resources


Wednesday, September 1, 2021

MD COVID-19 Outbreak at Schools: Bullis (Football Team), Damascus High School, RICA, Quince Orchard HS (now 25 cases), Seneca Valley HS

Friends School Baltimore City 2 09/01/21

Lillie May Jackson Charter Public School Baltimore City 13 09/01/21

Century High School Carroll 5 09/01/21

Gerstell Academy Carroll 2 09/01/21

South Carroll High School Carroll 3 09/01/21

Westminster High School Carroll 2 09/01/21

Butterfly Ridge Elementary School Frederick 2 09/01/21

Carroll Manor Elementary School Frederick 3 09/01/21

Frederick Christian Academy Frederick 4 09/01/21

Hillcrest Elementary School Frederick 2 09/01/21

Lewistown Elementary School Frederick 5 09/01/21

Monocacy Valley Montessori Public Charter School Frederick 2 09/01/21

Orchard Grove Elementary School Frederick 2 09/01/21

Success Program Frederick 2 09/01/21

Thurmont Middle School Frederick 2 09/01/21

Tuscarora Elementary School Frederick 2 09/01/21

Tuscarora High School Frederick 5 09/01/21

Walkersville High School Frederick 3 09/01/21

Atholton Adventist Academy Howard 2 09/01/21

Marriotts Ridge High School Howard 4 09/01/21

Bullis School - Football Team Montgomery 3 09/01/21

Damascus High School Montgomery 2 09/01/21

John L Gildner - RICA Montgomery 2 09/01/21

Quince Orchard High School Montgomery 25 09/01/21

Seneca Valley High School Montgomery 2 09/01/21

Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School Prince George's 4 09/01/21

Potomac High School Prince George's 2 09/01/21

Reid Temple Academy Prince George's 3 09/01/21

Chopticon High School St. Mary's 6 09/01/21

St. John's School St. Mary's 3 09/01/21

Hancock Middle-Senior High School Washington 3 09/01/21

Parkside High School Wicomico 4 09/01/21

Wicomico Day School Wicomico 3 09/01/21

Steven Decatur High School Worcester 4 09/01/21

As a reminder, the Maryland Dashboard uses the following criteria for reporting COVID-19 cases.  Not all cases are reported, only those that satisfy the following criteria.

  Note: This dataset reflects public and non-public K-12 schools in Maryland that have COVID-19 outbreaks. Data are based on local health department reports to MDH, which may be revised if additional information becomes available. This list does not include child care facilities or institutes of higher education.

Schools listed meet 1 or more of the following criteria:

    1) At least two confirmed COVID-19 cases among students/teachers/staff within a 14-day period and who are epidemiologically linked, but not household contacts; or

    2) Three or more classrooms or cohorts with cases from separate households that meet the classroom/cohort outbreak definition that occurs within 14 days; or

    3) Five percent or more unrelated students/teachers/staff have confirmed COVID-19 within a 14 day period (minimum of 10 unrelated students/teachers/staff).

Cases reported reflect the current total number of cases. Schools are removed from the list when health officials determine 14 days have passed with no new cases and no tests pending. Archival data is available through the COVID-19 open data catalogue.

These data are updated weekly on Wednesdays during the 10 a.m. hour. MDH is continuously evaluating its data and reporting systems and will make updates as more data becomes available.

 https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/school-resources



Wednesday, August 25, 2021

COVID-19 Outbreak at Quince Orchard High School makes Maryland Schools Outbreak List with 24 Cases

Maryland School for the Blind Baltimore City 2 08/25/21

Reginald F. Lewis High School Baltimore City 2 08/25/21

Century High School Carroll 2 08/25/21

Gerstell Academy Carroll 2 08/25/21

South Carroll High School Carroll 2 08/25/21

Winfield Elementary School Carroll 3 08/25/21

Butterfly Ridge Elementary School Frederick 2 08/25/21

Hillcrest Elementary School Frederick  2 08/25/21

Lewistown Elementary School Frederick 3 08/25/21

Orchard Grove Elementary School Frederick 2 08/25/21

Success Program Frederick 2 08/25/21

Tuscarora Elementary School  Frederick 2 08/25/21

Tuscarora High School Frederick 4 08/25/21

Quince Orchard High School Montgomery 24 08/25/21

Parkside High School Wicomico 2 08/25/21

Wicomico Day School Wicomico 2 08/25/21

Wicomico High School Wicomico 2 08/25/21

Steven Decatur High School Worcester 2 08/25/21



As a reminder, the Maryland Dashboard uses the following criteria for reporting COVID-19 cases.  Not all cases are reported, only those that satisfy the following criteria.

  Note: This dataset reflects public and non-public K-12 schools in Maryland that have COVID-19 outbreaks. Data are based on local health department reports to MDH, which may be revised if additional information becomes available. This list does not include child care facilities or institutes of higher education.

Schools listed meet 1 or more of the following criteria:

    1) At least two confirmed COVID-19 cases among students/teachers/staff within a 14-day period and who are epidemiologically linked, but not household contacts; or

    2) Three or more classrooms or cohorts with cases from separate households that meet the classroom/cohort outbreak definition that occurs within 14 days; or

    3) Five percent or more unrelated students/teachers/staff have confirmed COVID-19 within a 14 day period (minimum of 10 unrelated students/teachers/staff).

Cases reported reflect the current total number of cases. Schools are removed from the list when health officials determine 14 days have passed with no new cases and no tests pending. Archival data is available through the COVID-19 open data catalogue.

These data are updated weekly on Wednesdays during the 10 a.m. hour. MDH is continuously evaluating its data and reporting systems and will make updates as more data becomes available.

 https://coronavirus.maryland.gov/pages/school-resources


Tuesday, August 24, 2021

QUINCE ORCHARD HIGH SCHOOL COVID-19 OUTBREAK REACHES 26 CASES

A COVID-19 outbreak at Quince Orchard High School related to the football team has grown to 26 cases.

Principal Elizabeth Thomas reported six cases last Tuesday on Aug. 17. The next day, that number increased to 10 and on Thursday there were 16 total cases. On Friday, there were 20.

As of Monday, the Gaithersburg school faces 26 cases, Thomas said. Most cases involve the football team, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Spokesperson Gboyinde Onijala told MyMCM.

Practices and activities were halted last week while Health and Human Services completed contact tracing. The school planned to resume practices Monday for vaccinated and asymptomatic players and staff, Thomas wrote in a community message...

 https://www.mymcmedia.org/quince-orchard-high-school-covid-19-outbreak-reaches-25-cases/

Friday, August 20, 2021

Parents concerned about fall sports after COVID outbreak shuts down football at Quince Orchard HS


...What no one knows is how long Quince Orchard’s 100-person football program will be suspended for, as the county conducts contact tracing and how this could impact quarantines and closures when those student-athletes enter into school building starting Aug. 30.

"I probably would do the same thing, if I needed to shut down a quick outbreak, but does that mean their whole season is going to be lost? I don’t know," Goodman said.

FOX 5 got to ask the Montgomery County Deputy Health Officer about outbreaks involving sports teams and how this might impact schools when Montgomery County student-athletes step back into the classroom in less than two weeks.

When asked if there is a number for what could shut down a sports team or school, Dr. James Bridgers told FOX 5, "If one person on the football team is tested positive or the whole team is tested positive, the whole team needs to isolate."..

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/parents-concerned-about-fall-sports-after-covid-outbreak-cause-football-shut-down-at-quince-orchard-hs

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Quince Orchard HS football shut down after 6 cases of COVID confirmed


GAITHERSBURG, Md. (FOX 5 D.C) - A Gaithersburg high school has had to put its football program on pause after six cases of COVID were confirmed among students at the school...

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/quince-orchard-hs-football-shut-down-after-6-cases-of-covid-confirmed

Thursday, March 18, 2021

More COVID-19 Positive Individuals at Roscoe Nix ES and Quince Orchard HS. (No eating indoors with others??)

 

Community Notification: COVID-19 Case at Roscoe Nix Elementary School

(March 17, 2021)

Dear Roscoe R. Nix Elementary School Community, This letter is to inform you that an individual who was last present outside at Roscoe R. Nix Elementary School on Monday, March 15, 2021, has tested ...(more)

Community Notification: COVID-19 Case at Quince Orchard High School

(March 17, 2021)

Dear Quince Orchard Community, This letter is to inform you that an individual who was last present outside at Quince Orchard High School between 3/15/21 and 3/16/21 has tested positive for the cor ...(more)

Wednesday, October 14, 2020

“He used his position of authority as a football coach to groom and sexually assault” the players, prosecutor Adrienne Ferrell said in court.


Former high school football coach in Montgomery is accused of sexually abusing 2 players

...Papadopoulos was first employed by Montgomery County Public Schools in 2016, according to the district. He is on administrative leave...

...Montgomery police said they were concerned that there might be additional victims. Court papers said the alleged abuse occurred at private residences. But in court on Tuesday, Ferrell said one incident occurred on school property.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Drug investigation leads to child porn charges for former Quince Orchard assistant wrestling coach

A former Quince Orchard assistant wrestling coach is facing a host of child pornography charges after a drug investigation led police to search his home.
According to documents obtained by FOX 5, police were alerted to Dake Williams of Ellington Boulevard in North Potomac in October 2017 when customs officials found a package containing MDMA at JFK Airport in New York and notified Homeland Security in Baltimore...
...When investigators found child pornography on the devices, they requested a second search warrant and found more than 1,000 files.
The images and video included children as young as 5 or 6 in various sexual situations with adults and animals. 
After investigators examined the files, they arrested Williams, charging him with 10 counts of possession of child pornography...
https://www.fox5dc.com/news/drug-investigation-leads-to-child-porn-charges-for-former-quince-orchard-assistant-wrestling-coach

From Quince Orchard High School:

Dear Quince Orchard Students, Staff, and Families,
I am writing to inform you of the arrest of Dake Williams, a former Quince Orchard High School volunteer wrestling coach. Mr. Williams is charged with multiple counts of possession of child pornography. These charges, which stem from a 2017 incident, appear to be unrelated to his role as a volunteer coach. Mr. Williams served as a volunteer wrestling coach at Quince Orchard from 2015–2018.
MCPS was just made aware of Mr. Williams’ arrest. His alleged behavior is extremely concerning and these charges represent a violation of our school’s core values and the values of our Montgomery County community.
We are committed to the well-being of all of our students. A support team of school psychologists, counselor and pupil personnel workers from MCPS will join with our staff this week to provide counseling and support to students upon request.
Ensuring a safe learning environment for our students is our top priority. If you or your child have any information that may be helpful to the investigation, I ask that you call the Montgomery County Child Exploitation Unit at 240-773-5400.
Please do not hesitate to contact me at 240-740-3600 if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth L. Thomas
Principal

Saturday, May 18, 2019

Kevin Lewis ‏ NEW: A Quince Orchard High School staff member is in trouble after attending a private graduation party where students "openly consumed alcohol and participated in alcohol-related games."




Monday, November 9, 2015

Petition - 20878: Don't let our neighborhood and schools become overdeveloped, over commercialized, and traffic ridden!

Those of us who live in the neighborhoods surrounding the Johnson land tract (26 acres near the corner of 124 and 28 in Gaithersburg, MD) have serious concerns about the latest development plan. The land currently sits in Montgomery County but Gaithersburg City is being petitioned by the owner and developers to annex the land to Gaithersburg City so that ground breaking could occur much sooner.
The plan would add HUNDREDS of additional houses, townhouses and condos (up to six stories high) to our neighborhood as well as add mixed use space for additional retail. The zoning change would allow bigger retail to take over that space increasing traffic to and through our neighborhoods. We do not want another Downtown Crown near our homes and schools.
We are already dealing with increasing amounts of traffic in this area, especially during the morning and evening commutes and after Quince Orchard HS school hours and events.
Many of us moved to Montgomery County --even though the price of homes were higher-- because it supposedly had top notch schools for our children. Now, our schools are already over capacity and our children are learning in portable classrooms. They have to walk outside--no matter the weather-- to get to the school's common areas. This already should be seen as a security concern in today's world. Class sizes keep rising while budgets remain flat or get cut.. We are supposed to be one of the best school districts in the country but with this level of growth, that will not continue.
Please help us keep this community enjoyable, safe for our drivers, and able to sustain quality education.
I urge you deny the annexation of this property and keep our neighborhoods from becoming overcrowded, over commercialized, and traffic ridden. 

https://www.change.org/p/planning-gaithersburgmd-gov-20878-don-t-let-our-neighborhood-and-schools-become-overdeveloped-over-commercialized-and-traffic-ridden

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

$70 to Graduate from Quince Orchard HS. When did BOE approve fees for graduation? Never!

4/25/14Senior Fee’s are due by 4/25/14. This one-time fee covers everything related to graduation day (including cap & gown, programs, the ceremony, etc). The fee is $70. Checks must be made out to QOHS, and the student’s name and ID number must be on check. Turn in the money to Ms. Etzwiler in Room 332, or checks may be mailed to school. Do not leave money in the school mailbox. Students who have not submitted a senior fee by May 2nd, will receive an obligation notice. Obligation notices must be cleared with Mrs. Yee in the financial office. ALL obligations must be cleared before graduation rehearsal. No checks from seniors or their families will be accepted after 4/25/14. After that date, only cash and money orders will be accepted.

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/qohs/homepage/graduation.aspx


The Board of Education has never approved the charging of fees for students to graduate from MCPS high schools.  The funds collected by principals never show up in the MCPS budget and are not accounted for in any public budget document.

In the past, the Parents' Coalition has documented how these fees are used by principals to create slush funds for purchases unrelated to the graduation of students.  Pay if you want, but know that graduation fees are not an "obligation", they are optional.