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Hauppauge Middle School honors Class of 2029 at moving-up ceremony
Summary
Hauppauge Middle School held a moving-up ceremony for its eighth-graders that included student speeches, recognition of staff and PTA volunteers, reading of student names, and logistical notes about photos, certificates and a post‑ceremony dance.
Hauppauge Middle School held a moving‑up ceremony for the eighth‑grade Class of 2029 that featured student speeches, recognition of school staff and PTA volunteers, and the individual announcement of students’ names as they prepare to enter Hauppauge High School.
The ceremony opened with the school’s National Junior Honor Society officers leading the Pledge of Allegiance and an eighth‑grade chorus performance. Principal Christine O'Connor introduced district and school leaders in attendance, including Board of Education members Larry Croffa, Catherine Collins and Michael Buscarino, and Superintendent Dr. Don Murphy.
Board of Education member Larry Croffa congratulated the students, saying, “You made it.” Dr. Don Murphy urged families to savor the moment, telling the graduates, “These moments are fleeting. As best as you can, I encourage you to be intentional and soak up every minute.” Student speaker Alexa Grandstaff, president of the National Junior Honor Society, told classmates, “This moment is more than just a ceremony. It’s a milestone, a turning point between who we have been and who we are becoming.”
Principal O'Connor and other staff offered housekeeping and logistics for families: because of wind and rain, diploma covers will not be handed to students on stage; instead, a staff member will hold the cover during a photo opportunity so students do not have to handle it, and parents may pick up their child’s moving‑up certificate under a dry tent after the ceremony while students attend the planned dance. Guidance counselor Eric Clark assisted onstage with announcing student names.
The ceremony included public recognition of the middle school PTA and its executive board. O'Connor named PTA president Amy Barshay and vice president Jody Rocco, and thanked volunteer parents for organizing events, scholarships and the dance setup. Superintendent Murphy also referenced ongoing construction at the high school across the street, noting athletic and campus improvements that students will see when they enroll in the fall.
Administrators read the roster of graduating students individually during the ceremony. Organizers asked parents to avoid crowding the stage area so each student could be photographed and recognized.
The event closed with final remarks encouraging graduates to take advantage of high‑school opportunities and celebrate at the dance planned after the ceremony.
