Seniors
Class of 2025 Information
- 2025 Graduation Commencement Ceremony Information
- 2025 Events Timeline
- Cap and Gown Distribution
- Mandatory Commencement Practice
- Optional Graduation Apparel and Gear
- Senior Google Accounts
- Senior Meal Account Balances
- Staff Graduation Speakers
2025 Graduation Commencement Ceremony Information
Graduation Day | Inclement Weather | Conduct | Parking | Photos | Reminders
Graduation on Thursday, June 5
- SoWashCo Online will hold their commencement ceremony on Thursday, June 5th @ 3pm at Oltman Middle School Auditorium.
- Handicap or Limited Mobility seating will be available for anyone who needs it.
- Seniors MUST report 30 minutes before the ceremony, dressed in their cap & gowns. Please leave all valuables at home or in your vehicles.
- Guests should arrive early for parking and seating.
- A professional photographer will be present at the graduation ceremony to take formal pictures of the ceremony and of each graduate as they receive their diploma. Photos will be online 7-10 days after the ceremony. No obligation to purchase.
Questions about the ceremony reach out to Principal, Nick Falde, @ nfalde@sowashco.org OR 651-425-6356.
Conduct at Commencement
Commencement is considered the most formal and public of our educational ceremonies. Our seniors are celebrating the successful completion of 13 years of education. Friends and relatives are invited to honor and celebrate this achievement. We ask all who attend commencement to abide by the following guidelines:
- The Commencement ceremony will be conducted with appropriate dignity and decorum. Do not bring air horns, whistles or any loud noise makers to the ceremony. Balloons are also not allowed. The use of these items distracts from the dignity of the ceremony.
- We discourage large purses or bags in order to ensure comfortable seating for all attendees. Bottled water is allowed at OMS. Please, no other food or drink at the ceremony.
- Children are to remain seated with an adult (not on laps).
- SoWashCo Schools are tobacco-free campuses. Students and spectators are not permitted to smoke on the premises.
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Students/Graduates: All seniors who are eligible to take part in the commencement ceremony are encouraged to participate. It should be noted that participation in the commencement ceremony is not mandatory nor a condition for the completion of graduation requirements. On graduation day, seniors should report to TBD by TBD to check-in. Seniors are to arrive in ceremony attire, and in cap and gown. Commencement is a formal activity and serves as the school district's public acknowledgement of high school completion. The cap and gown are formal educational attire and are not to be altered for the ceremony. In addition, it is encouraged that all seniors participating in the commencement activity dress appropriately, with recommended attire to be worn as follows:
- Dress Code: Collared shirt, dress slacks, slacks, dresses, dress socks, dress shoes (no recreational shoes such as sneakers, flip-flops, etc., flats are recommended over high-heels).
Parking
Park in the spaces closest to the Activities door as that will be the entry and exit point for the ceremony.
Photos
Commencement attendees are asked to REMAIN SEATED during the ceremony. Parents and families may take photographs from your seat while sitting, and before or after the ceremony. We have contracted with a photographer to take professional photographs of each graduate during the commencement ceremony.
All graduates are photographed as they cross the stage at commencement. Photos are normally available for viewing within 7-10 days following the ceremony. Information on how to access photos will be sent to seniors and their families directly when they are available.
Reminders
- Seniors should not bring purses, cameras, bags, etc., to the ceremony. We will have a secure place to store car keys and cell phones. Beverages, beach balls, signs, or any other items that may distract from the formal ceremony are not allowed.
- Chemical Use - Students who arrive with any indication that they have used alcohol or drugs will not be permitted to participate. The student will be detailed by SoWashCo Online administration and Woodbury Police.
- Smoking - ERHS is a tobacco-free campus. Students and spectators are not permitted to smoke on the premises.
- Disruptive Behavior - Disruptive behavior is defined as including but not limited to, loud and abusive verbal language or the unwillingness to respond directly or appropriately to administrative directions. These actions will be considered evidence of unruly behavior. Such conduct will be the basis for removal from the ceremony.
2025 Events Timeline
- May 15:
- GRADUATION FEES ARE DUE- More info to come on this
- Outstanding Fees due
- Honor Stole deposit due
- Students will only have the option to keep Stoles. We will not collect them or reimburse after graduation.
- May 30: Academic Holds Implemented
- June 4: Last Day for Seniors to turn in coursework
- DATE TBD:
- Graduation Practice (Oltman Middle School Auditorium)
- Cap and Gown Distribution (Students will also return Chromebooks and textbooks, pay any late fees, and then pick up their Cap and Gown)
- June 5: Commencement Ceremony at Oltman Middle School Auditorium (3:00 pm)
Cap and Gown Distribution
Cap & Gown Distribution time and date is TBD - seniors should enter the building through the Activities Entrance. **NOTE: Seniors must be cleared from all academic holds, outstanding fines, etc. prior to receiving their caps and gowns!
- Graduation Fee: TBD
- Honors Stole Fee (for selected students): $25
- Students will be notified if they have earned an honor stole on April 29th Students must check their SoWashCo Google Apps email for their notification. If a student has the option of accepting the Honor Stole, and must pay a fee of $25.
- Students will keep the honor stole as a keepsake this year, no refunds will be given. We will not collect stoles and/or reimburse students for them.
- Students will be notified if they have earned an honor stole on April 29th Students must check their SoWashCo Google Apps email for their notification. If a student has the option of accepting the Honor Stole, and must pay a fee of $25.
Cap & gown measurements will be taken/submitted through a form distributed by Ms. Arrigoni.
Mandatory Commencement Practice
Optional Graduation Apparel and Gear
Optional graduation items can be purchased here through Jostens.
- Announcements: Students have the option to order graduation announcements through Jostens. These announcements feature our school crest on custom paper. It will also include specific information regarding the date, time and place of your ceremony. Ordering announcements is not required.
- Class Rings & Tags: Proudly display your graduation in timeless fashion with Jostens class rings. Seniors have the opportunity to purchase a customized, commemorative class ring or tag from Jostens.
- Apparel: Show your senior pride with quality senior apparel designed to match your style. Product availability varies by school.
- Photo Cards: Photo cards are used to add personality to announce your graduation. Photo cards add a personal touch to your announcement package.
Senior Google Accounts
Once you graduate, in August graduated seniors will no longer have access to their school provided Googles Apps account. Make sure you download/copy the files you want to keep onto another device not owned by the District. After August, there will be no means of retrieving them. Follow the steps below:
- Using the device you want to download them to, log onto your Google Drive.
- Click on the file you want to save and download. (To download multiple files, press Shift or Control ("Command" on a Mac) while clicking other files.)
- Right-click and select Download.
Note: Dragging a file from Google Drive to your desktop will NOT download it. Be sure to follow the steps above.
Senior Meal Account Balances
Parents must review their senior's meal account balance to determine what to do with any funds that remain in their student's account after graduation. Be sure to remove any automatic payments made to your student's account. More information can be found here.
Staff Graduation Speakers
Graduation Requirements and Recognition
Graduation Recognition
Graduation recognition is based on students' GPA after Trimester 2 of senior year. Grade point averages are not rounded.
- Summa Cum Laude with Distinction: GPA of 4.300 or above, gold stole, honors medallion
- Summa Cum Laude: GPA of 4.000-4.299, gold stole
- Magna Cum Laude: GPA of 3.667-3.999, silver stole
- Cum Laude: GPA of 3.500-3.666, white stole
Graduation Requirements
Students must meet all course credit requirements and graduation standards, as established by the State of Minnesota and the SoWashCo School Board, in order to graduate.
Students must earn:
- 12 credits in English
- 10 credits in Social Studies (including 1 cr in Political Science and 1 cr in Economics)
- 9 credits in Mathematics
- 9 credits in Science (must include one year of Biology and one year of Chemistry or Physics)
- 1 credit in General Physical Education
- 1 credit in Health (embedded throughout high school)
- 2 credits in Fine Arts
- 22 credits in electives
Total of 66 credits