2013 Commencement Information
May 17, 2013
Dear Senior Student & Parent/Guardian:
This letter provides you with important details about Edina High School commencement for 2013. A
great deal of planning has been conducted to ensure that this will be a memorable evening. Please
review all information below carefully. Parents may wish to bring this with them to the
commencement! It is a handy reference guide with all the details.
We are excited that this year’s commencement exercises will again be held at Target Center in
downtown Minneapolis at 7:00pm on Sunday, June 9, 2013.
Message from the Principal Bruce Locklear
As the year concludes and we prepare to bid farewell to the Class of 2013 I wish to say thank you for an
exceptional year! As seniors enter the high school as sophomores, they engage in academic discovery,
fine arts and athletic exploration, and eventually land on a path that guides them into their senior year
excited for the future that lies before them. A future that is hopefully filled with many opportunities and
adventures.
Each year we start the year with a discussion about what your legacy will be for our high school. Class
of 2013 legacy is, “Pass it on.” Following the message, it is fun for me to sit back and watch the legacy
unfold. You have been a class that consistently gives and recognizes the fact there is a world much
larger than the individual and I am confident your class will go out in the world and pass on the same
kindness and commitment you have consistently demonstrated at EHS. Thank you Class of 2013!
You, the parents and guardians of the Class of 2013, thank you! Your commitment to our school and
your willingness to help with whatever emerges is deeply appreciated!
Thank you, Class of 2013! I can honestly say that I am a better person and leader because of your
class. You will leave an indelible mark on our high school; a mark that signifies your hard work and
commitment to make our school the very best.
With that, we still need to discuss how the end of the year will shape up. Below are key points to
ensure a successful and fitting graduation celebration for the Class of 2013.

Remain on your best behavior through the last day of school. Please, do not do anything to


On the evening of commencement, look good and be first class. This is your night to shine.
During commencement, please do not do anything that embarrasses you or your family.
Remember that your parents and other family members have prepared for weeks (or years) for
this formal occasion. Many of you have grandparents and/or other special friends and relatives
who have been making plans to attend commencement and honor your special achievements.
jeopardize your participation in commencement. Don’t ruin all the great things you have created!
Do Edina Proud this evening!
We are very proud of our Class of 2013 and want you to finish on top and with pride. Your academic
and co-curricular achievements are incredible! Congratulations and finish the year with the same spirit
you started it, with a “Class Act.”
Parents/Guardians, on behalf of our staff, please join us to celebrate and honor the Class of 2013 as
they prepare to enter the next phase in life. May the road ahead be filled with many wonderful events
and opportunities that propel our graduates successfully into adulthood!
Essentials
What:
Where:
When:
Student Arrival Time:
Start Time:
End Time:
Edina High School Commencement
TARGET CENTER
Downtown Minneapolis
Sunday, June 9, 2013
6:00 PM
7:00 PM
9:00 PM (Approximate)
Commencement Protocol
Respect for others and following ceremony protocol is important.
The celebration for students comes after the commencement exercise. Parents and other guests should
not use blow horns or other noise making devices at commencement. They serve as a distraction to
others. Applause should be held until all class members have crossed the stage.
Commencement Practice  Cap and Gown Distribution Yearbook Distribution
Seniors will meet in the Edina Performing Arts Center (EPAC) during the school day on Friday, May 31st
for commencement practice, cap & gown, yearbook distribution, and senior celebrity awards. A special
schedule will be provided to teachers to accommodate these events. If there are any questions about
caps and gowns, please call Nancy Knutson (952-848-3131). Caps and gowns will be distributed to any
students/parent designees unable to attend Friday morning in the main office on Wednesday, June 5th
between 1pm and 4pm. Please plan for time to do a brief “check out” in the counseling department
prior to picking up your cap/gown. Students awarded their honor cord at the Edina Scholar’s Banquet
should be sure to bring and wear the honor cord at commencement. We do not supply extra honor
cords for students who forget to bring them. At the conclusion of the commencement exercise, students
will leave their gowns at Target Center in a designated place. The company we rent from will be on site
to pick them up. The graduation cap, the tassel, and the honor cord belong to the student.
May Term Participants
All seniors participating in May Term must attend commencement practice, cap & gown and yearbook
distribution, and senior celebrity awards on Friday, May 31st. Please report to EPAC by 9:45am. We will
approximate the set up of Target Center to ensure that students know their procedures and expectations
for the commencement exercises. It is vital that students attend this practice.
Clothing Recommendations/Considerations
Graduation caps should be worn so they are parallel with the floor. The tassel should hang over the
right side. It is recommended that you pin the tassel in place. The tassel will NOT be moved from one
side to the other during the ceremony. Students are encouraged to wear dress clothes under the gown.
Please do not wear shorts or jeans. Wear dress shoes, preferably black. Students should not wear
corsages or other adornments on the gown. No messages are allowed on caps. The cap and gown
speak for themselves.
Commencement Tickets/Seating
One of the benefits to holding commencement at Target Center is seating. The Target Center can
hold ALL relatives and friends who plan to attend. Due to ample seating, no tickets will be issued for
spectators. There is no reserved seating. It is first come, first served. Doors will open at 6pm and
Target Center personnel will be on site to assist with seating.
There is no need to make pre-arrangements for handicap accessible seating. Seats of this nature can be
found throughout Target Center. Please ask an usher at Target Center to direct you to this seating.
There is no reserved seating. It is first come, first served.
One final note, there will be sign language interpretation. For those interested in this service, please
contact Pam Berling at pamberling@edina.k12.mn.us or 952-848-3804 by Thursday, June 6th for a
reserved seat in this section. The interpreter will be in front of section 113. An usher will direct you to
the appropriate area.
Transportation to and from Target Center for Commencement
Members of the Class of 2013 are to find their own way to Target Center. Students should arrive at
Target Center no later than 6:00pm. It is important to allow plenty of time to accommodate for possible
heavy traffic and to find a parking place. It will be easiest if students enter Target Center on the Skyway
Level. Once inside Target Center, signs will be posted instructing students where to assemble. Feel free
to drop graduates at the main lobby entrance and then continue to parking ramps/lots.
Directions, Parking and Disability Access
Directions:
From the North: Take 35W south to the Washington Avenue Exit. Take a right on Washington Avenue
and follow to 1st Avenue. Take a left on 1st Avenue and proceed approximately ½ mile. Target Center
will be on your right.
From the South: Take 35W north to the Downtown Exits and follow the 5th Avenue Exit. Continue
straight on 5th Avenue to 7th Street. Turn left on 7th Street and proceed approximately ½ mile to 1st
Avenue. Target Center will be on your right.
From the East: Take I-94 west to the 11th Street Exit. Merge onto 11th Street and continue to 3rd
Avenue. Turn right on 3rd Avenue and follow to 7th Street. Turn left on 7th Street and proceed
approximately ½ mile to 1st Avenue. Target Center will be on your right.
From the West: Take 394 east and to the 6th Street exit. Turn right on 6th Street and proceed one block
to 1st Avenue. Turn right on 1st Avenue. Target Center will be on your right.
More information regarding directions can be found on the following website:
www.targetcenter.com/default.asp?targetcenter=177&urlkeyword=Getting_Here
Parking:
Public parking for Target Center is available for a fee on a first come, first serve basis. There are 38
parking lots and ramps located throughout downtown, many of which are located near Target Center.
For more parking information and to view maps, please use the following website:
www.targetcenter.com/default.asp?targetcenter=160.
Access for individuals with disabilities:
Every entrance at Target Center is set up to provide access for individuals with disabilities. For your
convenience, Target Center ushers will be available at the lobby for those needing special assistance
getting to their seat.
What to expect when you arrive at Target Center
As noted above, allow for plenty of time before the commencement exercise. Arrive by 6:00pm. It will
be easiest if students enter Target Center on the Skyway Level. Once inside Target Center, signs will be
posted instructing students to various dressing rooms to put on their cap and gowns. Students are
encouraged to leave valuable possessions or any amount of cash at home. First, there will be no need
for such. Second, while the dressing rooms will be supervised during the commencement, all students
are encouraged to travel light.
Immediately BEFORE commencement starts
It is our plan to assemble students in the Target Center staging areas in the appropriate arrangement to
ensure they are seated correctly. Teachers will be there to help students assemble. This process is
essential to ensure that the name read coincides with the student walking across the stage. Students
and participating teachers will enter Target Center in ordered lines and will be seated in the designated
sections on the main floor of Target Center.
Immediately AFTER commencement ends
Typically, the commencement exercise will last about two hours. After commencement, students will
precede back stage to be bused to EHS. Parents will not have an opportunity to see students after the
ceremony. School buses will take the Class of 2013 from Target Center directly to the overnight party at
Edina High School.
Students not attending the overnight party should meet parents in an area designated by the parent
after the student deposits their gown in the designated boxes.
Students should refer to information mailed by the parents planning the overnight party. These mailings
will include pertinent details about the senior party. If you are interested in finding out more
information, please visit http://www.edinaseniorparty.org/.
Diplomas
Diplomas are not handed out at commencement. Students will receive only their diploma cover at
commencement. The actual diploma will be sent in June once it is determined that all final graduation
requirements have been met that entitle a student to an EHS diploma.
Pictures/Video
Photos:
Families are encouraged to take pictures of their graduate before arriving to Target Center as there is
NO opportunity prior to or following commencement. We suggest meeting with friends at Centennial
Lakes, an area country club or church, or a family home. We have arranged with Life Touch
photography to take a photo of each graduate after they have crossed the stage. An email notice will go
out to inform you of when the proofs of photos will be available at online.
Video: Bloomington Education Cable Television will be broadcasting commencement and selling DVD’s
of the ceremony. For more information, please go to their website at
www.bectv.org/
Thank you for reviewing this information carefully. It will prove helpful to you. We are looking forward
to the commencement exercise, and I wish to congratulate you on your many fine achievements.