West Side Story, 2.0

Today we had our Senior meeting. We covered a lot of important information as we head into the final stretch, including details about graduation, senior awards, the Parade of Graduates, commencement rehearsal and ceremony, and the senior party.

This newsletter is meant to serve as a helpful follow-up and reference point as these events approach. We know this is a busy and exciting time, and we appreciate your partnership in helping make these final weeks memorable and smooth for our seniors.

The following link is the presentation of the Senior meeting that was held today with our seniors in the auditorium.

Senior Class Meeting/Grad Info

Information for Seniors and Families

Caps and Gowns will be distributed in the lobby on Thursday, May 6th from 7:45-8:30 a.m. and in the main office from noon to 3:45 p.m.
Any problems with size of cap or gown should be reported to Mr. Sipe in room 114 ASAP.

Be sure your cap and gown fit. Hang them ASAP to lessen wrinkles.

DO NOT IRON

The Senior Awards Breakfast will be Monday, May 18th at 7:30am in the cafeteria. A light breakfast will be served beginning at 7:30am, the program will begin at 7:45am. All seniors receiving awards and their caregivers will be invited. Invitations will be sent on May 4th. Awards will be presented for: Academics, Arts, Athletics, and Scholarships.

If your senior has been awarded a scholarship, they need to submit this form, Scholarship Survey , to be included in the program.

Monday, May 18th (prior to Parade of Graduates)

• All Seniors go to the football field and sit in the bleachers at 9:15am

• Wear your cap and gown

• Yearbook will take a picture of the entire class

• All Seniors will go out onto the field and line up following the 2026 painted on the field

• A drone will take an overhead picture of the class

The Parade of Graduates is Monday, May 18th. The shuttles will leave WHS for West area elementary schools at 9:45am, and return by 10:30am. Seniors wear their caps and gowns.

Parade of Graduates Survey - please submit if you would like to participate in the Parade of Graduates. Choose the elementary school that you attended: Roosevelt, Bridges, Jefferson, Monroe or Hoover. If you attended an East side elementary school, you can attend that parade, but will need to provide your own transportation. If you did not attend elementary school in Mankato, feel free to choose the school you would like to visit.

All graduates who will be participating in the Commencement Ceremony will need to attend rehearsal on Wednesday, May 20th at 8:45am at the Mayo Event Center. Graduates must be in the ballroom at 8:45am so we start on time, as East has their rehearsal later that morning. We will have a shuttle bus at West for those graduates who do not want to drive to the Event Center. The shuttle will leave at 8:30am. The rehearsal should be finished by 10:45am. If a graduate does not want to participate in Commencement, they should let Hannah in the office know by May 1st.

Graduates should wear comfortable clothes to rehearsal, not their cap and gown. They may want to wear the shoes they are wearing for the ceremony to get a feel for the steps and the stage.

The Commencement Ceremony will be Wednesday, May 20th, at 8:00 PM.​ Commencement is a formal ceremony. Graduates are to dress in a manner befitting the ceremony. Graduates must be at the Mayo Event Center in the Ballroom by 7:30 PM. Shuttle buses will be provided and will depart for the event center at 7:15 PM from the front parking lot at West.

Graduates should leave valuable items at home.​ The Banquet Hall will not be locked and nothing may be carried with you during Commencement. We do not have the ability to store items for students (hats, bags, purses, phones, keys, etc).

Diplomas will be distributed at the conclusion of the ceremony in the Banquet Hall.

The Mankato East Commencement Ceremony​ is just prior to ours. In order to allow time for their families to exit, we ask that Mankato West families not enter the Mayo Event Center until after 7:15 PM. Given the capacity of the Event Center, there is plenty of space available for all who wish to attend.

Return buses ​will depart the Mayo Event Center approximately 20-30 minutes after graduation and return graduates to West HS for the senior party.

Here is the homework for our seniors. Please note they will need to use their school email address to access these surveys.

Parade of Graduates Survey - please submit if you would like to participate in the Parade of Graduates.

Senior Survey - This is a required survey. Seniors can submit the survey anytime from now to picking up their cap and gown. They will need to submit this survey to pick up their cap and gown.

Scholarship Survey - please submit if you would like to be recognized for any scholarship awards you will be receiving.

Senior Spotlight Survey - please submit if you would like your picture and information shared on the TVs at school and on instagram.

Check out this flier for more information.

You will not want to miss out on the Grad Party! Please use this Link to Registration to sign up.

If parents are interested in supporting the Grad Party, you can do so by using this Amazon Wish List to help with prizes.

It's getting close to Graduation and we need your help! Please consider volunteering at the 2026 West Grad Party -- It's sure to be a memorable event for the Senior Class of 2026!

Senior Parents are strongly encouraged to take the second shift and Junior parents to take the first shift that starts at 9 pm (since the graduation ceremony starts at 8 pm). We need our volunteers to be ready and waiting for the seniors when they arrive. Please see the Sign-up Genius link below and review the available volunteer options and time slots below and click on the button to sign up.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4BAAA82EA5F5C34-61658101-2026

Please plan to arrive at least 5-10 mins ahead of your scheduled time slot to help ensure we have everyone in place when the seniors arrive and with the transition from the 1st shift to the 2nd shift.

Thank you and we so appreciate your help!

If you have any other questions, please let us know! Thanks again! This would not be possible without parent volunteers like you!!

mankatowestgradparty@gmail.com

April 15

Auditions for Commencement Speakers

April 25

Prom

May 1

Big 9 Music Festival - Northfield

May 6

Cap and Gown Pick-up

May 18

Senior Awards Breakfast 7:30am Cafeteria

Senior Picture 9:15am Football Field (wear cap and gown)

Elementary Parade of Graduates 9:45am (wear cap and gown)

May 20

Commencement Rehearsal 8:45am Mayo Event Center (report to the ballroom)

Commencement Ceremony 8:00pm Mayo Event Center