Weather Looks Very Favorable for Outdoor Graduations This Weekend

The weatherman looks like he has given favorable dispensation for local high school graduations. Ladue has held its past two events indoors with hightened risks of rain. The chances of rain the forecast are 10 percent or less all weekend long.

Hundreds of high school seniors in the Ladue-Frontenac Patch will earn their high school diplomas over the course of this month and the first week of June.

Leading off on Sunday is Ladue Horton Watkins and Villa Duchesne.

Here are the details:

Ladue Horton Watkins

Ladue will confer 270 certifications to the class of 2012. The 60th graduation will be held Sunday, May 20 on the football field at the high school. The event will be moved indoors to the Nielson Gymnasium in event of rain.

Dr. Bridget Hermann, principal will deliver the opening remarks to the class of 2012. Sayli Milind Sant, class of 2012 will welcome the guests; Dr. Marsha Chappelow, district superintendent will address the class and Caleb Michael Weiss Ellis, class of 2012 will deliver the major address. Lucas Grant Tamaren, class of 2012 will present the class gift to the school.

Members of the school board will confer the diplomas.

Graduation rehearsal is May 17: 9:30 a.m. in the Nielson Gym. Attendance is mandatory. Parking at the high school is limited and traffic in the area will be heavy.

Additional parking will be provided at Conway Elementary, 9900 Conway Rd. and Ladue Middle School, 9701 Conway Rd. Complimentary shuttle buses will run between the locations starting at 3:30 p.m. and ending at 7:00 p.m. Handicapped parking spaces are available at the north end of the high school. Golf carts will be available to help handicapped guests get to their seats.

In case of rain, the commencement will be held in the Nielson Gym, and each graduate will have eight tickets for guests. A professional photographer will provide photos. Guests taking photos should be done from their seats.

Villa Duchesne

Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School will host its 83rd Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m. The Class of 2012 will graduate 96 seniors who will all be attending 4-year colleges and universities in the fall. Andrea Herman is this year’s valedictorian with Lauren Lauer as the salutatorian. Ms. Pamela Harris of Villa Duchesne’s English Department will give the commencement address.
 
Members of the Class of 2012 have distinguished themselves with 30 percent of the class scoring a 30 or above on the ACT. In addition, Teresa Kinealy and Kailey Wagner are National Merit Finalists; Mary Kabbes is a National Merit Commended Student; Elisa Hattrich is a National Hispanic Scholar; and Andrea Herman is a Missouri Top 100 Scholar and the Missouri Knights of Columbus Youth of the Year.

St. Joseph’s Academy

Graduation is Thursday, May 24 at 7:00 p.m. on the school’s campus. Weather permitting, it will be on the outside stage in the back of the school. If rain is in the forecast, the graduation ceremonies will be moved to the school’s gymnasium.

The main speaker will be Marcia Niedringhaus (of CWE Hospitality Services, LLC), who is a past parent and current board member.

John Burroughs School

The Class of 2012, 98 students will graduate on Thursday, May 31 at 7 p.m. The ceremony is planned out of doors in the Grove, or will be moved to the Olin Field House in event of rain.

The Invocation and benediction will be delivered by Eric Hanson, the longest tenured member of the John Burroughs faculty.

Interested seniors who want speaking parts are currently submitting speeches anonymously and one male, one female will be selected for those parts. The decision will be made by a panel of students and faculty members.

Mary Institute Country Day School

The MICDS commencement exercise will be held indoors at the McDonnell Athletic Center on Tuesday, June 5 at 4:00 p.m.

The address will be given by Carla Federman, MICDS history teacher as selected by students in the graduating class. Student speakers will also select fellow students who will have speaking parts. MICDS will announce the valedictorian (s), salutatorian and other award winners on Senior Night June 4.

Parking will be available on the North C lot adjacent to the gymnasium and elsewhere on the campus.