Senior Parent Graduation Guide
St. Edward High School • Class of 2016
IMPORTANT DATES
FOR THE CLASS OF 2016
SENIOR PROM
Dear Senior Parents and Guardians,
The events of May in your son’s life form life-long
memories of his years at St. Edward High School.
Our various celebrations truly celebrate the individual and community achievements of the Class of
2016. This brochure provides an easy reference for
each family to the details surrounding our closing
events.
In preparation for our graduation ceremony, we
are asking any member of the Class of 2016, in good
standing, to submit a speech for consideration as a
commencement speaker. Interested students must
submit a written draft of an approximately 5
minute speech to me at [email protected] by
Monday, April 25. Finalists will be invited to deliver
the speech in person before a panel that will
recommend the final commencement speakers.
Please encourage your sons to consider this honor.
St. Edward High School is built on the tradition
Friday, May 6, 2016
Cleveland Browns Stadium
7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
SENIOR EXAMS
During exam days, seniors attend only the
Tuesday, May 17: Periods 13-18
Wednesday, May 18: Periods 7-12
Thursday, May 19: Periods 1-6
ACADEMIC AWARDS NIGHT
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Performing Arts Center
7:00 p.m.
CONNECTIONS: SENIOR DAY &
COMMENCEMENT REHEARSAL
Thursday, May 26, 2016
St. Edward High School
8:00 a.m. start (half day)
Includes mandatory commencement
rehearsal on May 26
BACCALAUREATE MASS
Thursday, May 26, 2016
St. Bernadette Church
7:30 p.m.
of serving outstanding families through faith,
excellence, relationships, and Christ-like servant
leadership. I take this opportunity to thank each of
you for your support of our Holy Cross mission over
these past four years and look forward to your
continued involvement in the St. Edward community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Frank O’Linn ‘93
Principal
SENIOR SENDOFF
Friday, May 27, 2016
St. Edward High School
6:00 p.m.
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
Sunday, May 29, 2016
Lakewood Civic Auditorium
1:00 p.m.
IMPORTANT NOTE TO
CLASS OF 2016 PARENTS
Connections: Senior Day, Senior Prom, Academic
Awards Night, Baccalaureate Mass, Senior Sendoff
and Commencement Exercises are meant to be true
celebrations of four wonderful years.
Unfortunately, a very few students may contemplate
absolutely inappropriate behaviors for these events.
Although we all regret when such issues occur and a
young man’s graduation is placed in jeopardy, we
believe honest conversations among parents,
students, and faculty before each event does
circumvent most, if not all, inappropriate behavior.
We are asking that you engage in conversation with your
son about our community’s high level of expectations.
While the vast majority of our students are very
mature young men, we do not want a small amount
of inappropriate activity to detract from our communal
celebrations of your son’s and his classmates’
achievements.
Please, then, help our faculty and staff assure that the
close to the St. Edward years for the Class of 2016 are
the best they can possibly be. What follows are details
of each event and a summary of important information.
SENIOR PROM
This year’s SENIOR PROM will be held in “The
Cleveland Browns Stadium – Special Events” facility
on Friday, May 6, beginning with photographs/
reception from 7:00 p.m.to 7:30 p.m., with dinner to
follow. Prom will end at approximately 11:00 p.m.
and school rules governing conduct are in force. Any
violation of St. Edward policies on behavior, the use
of alcoholic beverages or the use of any controlled
substance will be treated as though it occurred on
school property, will not participate in other events,
including commencement exercises, and may subject
students to immediate dismissal.
PRE AND POST PROM ACTIVITIES
school functions, and therefore, St. Edward High
School assumes no responsibility for these activities.
We are aware and grateful, however, that a group of
senior parents have organized an after-prom party
that will be supervised by parents. The After-Prom
Committee has been mailing the information.
ACADEMIC AWARDS NIGHT
The ANNUAL ACADEMIC AWARDS NIGHT will be
held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, in the
Any senior who does not meet the academic and service
if your son will not graduate. We, parents and school,
must work together with your son to ensure a positive
conclusion to his St. Edward career.
There is no single day designated as a “SENIOR CUT
DAY,” or a day off with special excuse. ALL seniors
are expected to be in attendance each day for the
remainder of the school year, including Connections:
Senior Day requirements. The school is aware that
some students often plan such events. Absences, as
such, will be UNEXCUSED.
all families are cordially invited to accompany their
sons to this very special event.
CONNECTIONS: SENIOR DAY &
COMMENCEMENT REHEARSAL
The CONNECTIONS: SENIOR DAY program is an
initiative of the St. Edward Alumni Association to
prepare our students for life after high school. On
Thursday, May 26, The Connections: Senior Day is a
half-day schedule with an 8:00 a.m. start for all seniors in the Chapel. After morning prayer, an alumni
volunteer will provide a witness to the seniors about
avoiding pitfalls in life after high school. The day will
proceed with a review of information for the seniors
regarding upcoming events in the lead-up to
day is a mandatory COMMENCEMENT REHEARSAL.
The Commencement ceremony is a highly technical
event, and we want to ensure that our seniors
are well-prepared by practicing the ceremony.
The day will conclude by 12:00 p.m.
BACCALAUREATE MASS
A BACCALAUREATE MASS will be celebrated at
St. Bernadette Church, 2256 Clague Road in North
Olmsted on Thursday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. We hope
that all seniors and their families will join us to offer
praise and give thanks to God for past and future blessings on the Class of 2016. Our Baccalaureate Mass is a
truly reverent way to begin graduation weekend. Most
graduated Seniors and their parents speak of this Mass
as a touching and memorable event.
SENIOR SENDOFF
During the SENIOR SENDOFF on Friday, May 27,
you’ll have the opportunity to share your favorite
memories, spend the evening with your favorite
St. Edward High School. Begining at 6:00 p.m., a
cookout dinner is provided by the St. Edward Alumni
Association. The campus will also be open for
photos, and in case you want to play one more
pick-up game in the SAC, or toss the ball one last
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES will be held at the
Lakewood High School Civic Auditorium, located at
the corner of Franklin Avenue and Bunts Road, on
Sunday, May 29, at 1:00 p.m. Doors open at noon.
The graduates must arrive no later than 12:15 p.m. to
line up for their procession into the auditorium. The
graduation video prelude will begin at 12:50 p.m. A
live feed of the commencement exercises will also be
posted on the SEHS website on graduation day.
Admission is by ticket only. (Graduates do not require
a ticket.) In a change from recent St. Edward tradition,
Questions? Please contact
Cathy Milowicki at [email protected].
parents/guardians will not process across the stage with
their sons. Families will receive 2 open reserved tickets
and 4 general admission tickets. Families can request 1
or 2 additional open reserved seats for stepparents/
guardians only. Families wishing to request additional
general admission tickets will be placed on a waiting
list; however, these families are encouraged to contact
other graduates’ families to obtain unused general
admission tickets. A limited number of handicapped
seats are also available, both for wheelchair spaces and
seats for low-mobility guests. All special ticket requests
must be directed to Mrs. Lois Weaver in the Counseling
at 216-221-4230 or at [email protected].
Caps, gowns, and tickets will be distributed on
Thursday, May 26 and Friday, May 27 during normal
school hours. Only items presented by St. Edward
High School to recognize academic merit (honor
cords, NHS stoles and IB pins) are to be worn with the
graduates’ caps and gowns. No other embellishment is
permitted. Only graduating seniors can pick up these
parents or friends of seniors). If your son
cannot attend graduation, please send written
May 6, and your son’s diploma will be available any
weekday morning beginning Tuesday, May 31.
Caps and gowns will be withheld from students
and library book obligations, and for disciplinary
reasons. Please note that caps and gowns will not be
distributed to any student whose appearance does
not comply with our Dress Code Policy. Any student
whose hair or attire is out of dress code the day of
graduation will not be allowed to participate in
commencement exercises. Please help your son
avoid an unpleasant situation by having him maintain
our Dress Code Policy through graduation day.
Cover: Zach Hunter 16, Oil on Canvas