Graduation Day: Brick Township Ceremony Moved Up Due To Storm Threat

BRICK, NJ — The Class of 2017 is scheduled to graduate Monday from Brick Memorial and Brick Township high schools, but how those graduations play out will depend on a storm front that holds the threat of severe thunderstorms.

Both ceremonies are scheduled to be held outdoors on the football fields at the two high schools. Originally Brick Memorial was scheduled for 4 p.m. and Brick Township for 6 p.m., but on Monday morning, interim Superintendent Thomas Gialanella said district officials have decided to move the Brick Township ceremony to a 4 p.m. start in hopes of avoiding the storm.

The National Weather Service's Mount Holly office has issued a hazardous weather alert for the area, warning of the potential for thunderstorms with torrential downpours and damaging wind gusts. The storms also have the potential to cause flash flooding, especially during the evening.

"After watching the weather for the past few days we have decided to move Brick HS graduation tonight from 6 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the hopes we can complete the ceremony tonight and not have to postpone it until tomorrow," Gialanella said. "We believe the move gives us the best chance to be successful. This will mean that both BTHS and BMHS will begin at 4 p.m."

If the storms arrive sooner than expected, the Brick Memorial ceremony will be moved inside to the gymnasium at that high school. The Brick Township ceremony would be pushed to Tuesday. The forecast calls for calm weather on Tuesday.

If the decision is made to move or postpone because of the storms, a Honeywell alert announcement will go out, officials said in letters that were distributed to the senior classes.

Seniors at both high schools should report to their schools by 2:30 p.m. for the graduation ceremonies.

Send us your photos from tonight's graduation ceremonies and we'll share them in a photo gallery here on the Patch.

At Brick Memorial, parking for relatives and friends will be available both at Brick Memorial and nearby at Lanes Mill Elementary School and the town’s Boland Field, across the street from Brick Memorial. Handicapped-equipped shuttle buses will be available to take passengers to the football field from those sites. There will be parking outside the football stadium for the elderly and those with handicapped parking permits, Brick Memorial officials said.

Graduation cap toss, by Jessie Jacobson, via Flickr under Creative Commons license