Brandywine Community Schools will be kicking off a yearlong celebration of the 50th anniversary of its first graduating class Thursday night prior to the school’s varsity football game against Centreville.

School officials are asking Brandywine graduates and staff members from the past 50 years to attend the game.

Supt. John Jarpe said alumni and staff would be recognized on the football field at around 6:30 p.m., or about 30 minutes prior to the game.

Alumni will be grouped by decade with members of the Class of 1963 — Brandywine’s first graduating class — in the center of the field. Once everyone is in place, alumni will be recognized and the school fight song will be sung.

“It should be quite an evening,” Jarpe said.

Anyone planning to attend should be at the field by 6 p.m. Commemorative 50-year T-shirts will be available and picture displays will be placed in the school cafeteria.

Jarpe said he would be meeting in September with members of the Class of 1963 to discuss other ways to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Brandywine’s first graduating class.

Jarpe said he would like alumni to visit students to teach them the history of Brandywine.

“There are a lot of people that don’t know the how and when and why this school district got started,” he said. “It is important that we all know.”

As plans are finalized, more information about upcoming 50th anniversary events will become available.