Class Reunions
P.K. Yonge Class Reunions are the responsibility of the graduating class leaders and members of the class celebrating. The design, planning, choice of venues, and financial considerations are to be handled by the members of the class. There may also be opportunities to work with the PKY Alumni task force for some specific components of the event. P.K. Yonge is supportive of reunions and can avail the campus for a tour and a brief update on the progress of the school. P.K. Yonge assumes no risk or liability for class reunions.
PK Campus Tours/Lunch Area
The school (administrator and current PK Student Government members) may offer to give a tour of the campus or allow areas of the school to be used for a brief get-together, such as providing picnic tables for a lunch supplied by the class.
General Reunion Suggestions from Previous Successful Events:
- Establish a manageable but well-represented Planning Committee.
- Create a networking plan. Reach classmates through phone, email, social media, friends, and/or parents.
- Contact P.K. Yonge first for open dates if any use of the school is to be requested.
- Develop and circulate a survey with focused choices as to options for the gathering.
- Appoint specific committees to oversee different selected events.
- Talk to previous reunion organizers who were successful.
- Publish the dates a long time in advance (a year ahead is a good idea).
- Decide on the days for the celebration (often Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday events).
- Start sharing and posting dates and requesting old and new photos and stories.
- Establish levels of participation interest (it grows depending on how active the contacts are).
- Consider both the local and traveling alums, as well as what folks from all walks of life may be able to afford with regard to costs.
- Contact local hotels for group prices if many grads are coming into town from elsewhere.
- Determine venues based on hoped-for participation, safety, and costs.
- Plan for financial viability (some items/places may require deposits).
- Consider opening a bank account for this purpose
- Request upfront donations to cover required deposits.
- Make sure that everyone’s event costs can be covered by soliciting volunteer donations.
- Decide what to charge (if anything) and what to do with any remaining funds (donating to PK is always an option!).
P.K. Yonge Reunion Guidelines
Individual PKY classes or class groups are responsible for planning and promoting a reunion. The PKY can assist, primarily in an advisory capacity, as to what has worked in the past and in connecting groups with successful Reunion Committees. UF P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School warmly welcomes reunions and graduates of the school.
P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School
- Encourages graduates to stay in touch with the school and each other.
- Provides reunion event campus tours, by appointment, for groups to visit the campus.
- Relies on the newly reestablished Alumni Association to work with class groups planning a reunion.
PKY Alumni Association
- Is composed of graduates of the school and others designated as “special friends.”
- Assists in finding class lists (without contact information, although we do have some contact info, depending on the class).
- Works as a fiscal entity of the school and has State of Florida tax-exempt status.
- Can collect donations to be used for alumni events and gatherings.
- Can arrange class-funded purchase orders and pick up through vendors following UF policies.
- May request that the PKY Business Office use class-collected funds to submit deposits for purchases or venues.
- Maintains a list of recent class organizers, merchants, and venues.
- Collects information on how different classes financed and arranged their events.
Encourages the following actions:
- Class organizers attempt to find EVERYONE from their class.
- Word goes out in varied forms, including social media, email, phone, texts, and snail mail.
- Time is given, after the date is selected, to gather momentum and contact everyone.
- Graduates start sharing their current lives and past memories through social media and email.
- The cost of the event is managed so that ALL can attend.
- Memorabilia, photos, and stories from their time at PKY become part of the gathering through media presentations or visual displays.
- A variety of events allow for family participation and different venues.
- Event organizers arrange a “cash bar” for attendees to purchase alcoholic drinks.
- IMPORTANT: Safety concerns are considered including safe driving plans to and from the events.
- Class funds remaining in the Alumni Association account be donated to the Alumni General Fund or for gifting a class purchase for the school.
Acknowledges the following steps are effective in planning:
- The Chair of the class reunion invites other class members to join the Planning Committee.
- The reunion date is chosen a year in advance with input from the school and classmates.
- Committee Members survey the class for the types of events that would attract participants.
- Committee Members divide responsibilities for aspects of the planning.
- All involved start sharing the date(s) and activities and soliciting suggestions and help.
- The Chair (or designee) initiates a private Facebook group and other contact mediums for classmates.
- Classmates start sharing old and new photos and collecting new data on everyone.
- The Committee considers out-of-town guests and their travel and lodging needs.
- The Committee decides how finances will be managed, money collected, and deposits paid.
- The Chair works with the Alumni Association/PKY Business Office, or banking institution for donations, deposits, and payments.
- Class talent is tapped for event connections, program planning, and decorations.