Dear parents and guardians of the class of 2026,

As the end of the school year and graduation approach, I'm sharing key dates and important information. These times and dates have been recently updated, so please use this email as your guide.

We would also appreciate your feedback on your experience as a parent at DSHA in order to inform our continuous improvement. Please take a few minutes to complete our 2025-26 Senior Parent Exit Survey.

Sincerely,

Rachel Fredricks

Dean of Student Affairs

BACCALAUREATE MASS

Baccalaureate Mass is Thursday, May 21 at 6 p.m. at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist.

Archbishop Jeffrey Grob will preside at our Baccalaureate Mass at the Cathedral. We are honored to center this prayerful liturgical celebration of our graduates at such a meaningful location with the Archbishop and DSHA Chaplain Fr. Silas Henderson, SDS. Mass is expected to conclude around 7:30 pm.

LOCATION: Mass is at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, 812 N. Jackson Street, Milwaukee, WI.

PARKING: Street parking is typically free after 7 p.m. near the Cathedral; please read signage carefully. Parking is also available at public lots and structures nearby. Spot Hero can help you locate convenient, available parking.

ACCESSIBILITY: Handicap parking will be reserved in the Cathedral's small back lot. This contains about 15 spaces and is accessible off N. Van Buren Street and E. Wells St. Handicap seating is available within the church. Please note any needs on the RSVP form, and see the ushers within the gathering space for assistance and to ensure seating in an accessible area.

MEDALIST RECOGNITION: The Medalist Recognition Ceremony will take place immediately following Mass. Medalist families will have reserved seats per their RSVP to Alumnae Director Danielle Jerominski Rabe, DSHA '08.

The word “baccalaureate” stems from the Latin term for “laurel berries,” symbolizing a crown of victory given to scholars. As we reflect on our graduates’ years of learning; the memories made at DSHA; the lives of service they lead; and the qualities of the graduate they so clearly display, join us as we crown them with God’s grace and blessings. We in Campus Ministry have had the honor of praying with your daughters over their four years, and we feel blessed to pray together one last time as they culminate their Dasher journeys.

Please contact Associate Director of Campus Ministry Jena Thurow-Mountin by email or phone at (414) 721-7979 with any questions or concerns.

GRADUATION

Graduation is Friday, May 22 at 5:30 pm at the Miller High Life Theatre.

PRACTICE: Graduation practice is Thursday, May 21, 11:30 am-1 pm in DSHA's Robert & Marie Hansen Fine Arts Theatre. Please bring the shoes you plan to wear at graduation so you can practice walking up and down the steps. Practice will not begin until every student is present. Except in the event of illness, anyone not attending practice will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony.

LOCATION: Graduation is at the Miller High Life Theatre, 500 W. Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, WI.

TICKETS: No tickets will be distributed this year. The Miller High Life Theatre has space for all family and friends.

PARKING: Parking is available at public lots and structures near the venue. Spot Hero can help you locate convenient, available parking.

PHOTOS: DSHA will have a senior class photo taken, and each student will be photographed upon receiving her diploma. This allows you to remain seated and appreciate the ceremony. There's no fee for this service, and you may retain the proof free of charge. VIP, our photography partner, will send you a postcard with further instructions on how to order these photos, as well as additional candid shots from the day.

NAME PRONUNCIATION: Please have your daughter complete this name pronunciation form so she can be recognized appropriately.

GRADUATION OUTFITS: As stated in the Student Handbook, students must wear a modest and appropriate white or ivory dress or pantsuit. Dresses must be full- or tea-length. A wrap or cover-up in white or ivory is encouraged for those with backless, strapless, or halter-style dresses. White or ivory gloves are mandatory. Additionally, hair and jewelry should be appropriate for the occasion and conservative in appearance. Shoes must be white, ivory, or neutral in color with heels no more than 3.5 inches. The same outfit must be worn for the Graduate Dinner Dance. Seniors are required to email a photo of their outfit to Dean of Students Rachel Fredricks by Friday, May 1.

DIPLOMAS: Due to the proximity of final exams and graduation, students will receive empty diploma covers during the ceremony. Signed diplomas will be mailed to parents' or guardians' homes in mid-June. Be sure that any address changes are updated prior to exams in myDSHA. Diplomas and transcripts will be witheld if there are any unmet obligations (i.e. payments, paperwork, coursework).

Graduate Dinner Dance is Wednesday, May 27 at the Bradley Pavilion.

LOCATION: The Graduate Dinner Dance is at the Bradley Pavillion, on the third floor of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 123 E. State Street, Milwaukee, WI.

ATTIRE: DSHA expects students to wear the same graduation attire to this dance. DSHA affirms this long-standing tradition, and asks for your cooperation as well as that of your daughters. Any student arriving in a short dress will be asked to change before being admitted. See Dean of Students Rachel Fredricks with any questions.

CHAPERONES: Organizers will coordinate chaperone needs and responsibilities.

SENIOR HONORS NIGHT

Senior Honors & Underclasswoman Awards Night is Wednesday, May 13 at 6:30 pm at DSHA.

This year, we are combining Senior Honors and Underclasswoman Awards. Join us for this exciting celebration right at DSHA.

ADDITIONAL EVENTS & KEY DATES

• May 1: Decision Day
• May 19-22: Final exams
• May 21: Drop all used books and uniforms off at DSHA for Dasher Resale; contact Student Services Administrative Assistant Katie Hoffmann, DSHA '02, with any questions.
• June 18: Pick up any unsold books and uniforms from Dasher Resale at DSHA

OBLIGATIONS

Students must complete all the obligations below before participating in practice and the graduation ceremony. Failure to fulfill these obligations will result in a delay in processing a student's diploma and final transcript.

• All student accounts (including Smart Tuition) must be paid up to date by May 1, 2026.
• All retreat requirements and service committments must be satisfied by May 15, 2026.
• All detentions must be served and paid by May 15, 2026. Arrangements to serve detentions earned after May 15 must be made with Dean of Students Rachel Fredricks.
• All library materials must be returned and fines and replacement costs paid by May 15, 2026.
• Positive Dining Dollars balances must be redeemed from Dining Services by May 12, 2026. If you'd like to refund unused dollars, please contact Dining Services by May 12. Refunds will be issued this summer.
• All Dining Dollars transferred to another daughter must be completed by May 12, 2026.
• All athletic department/sports team material/equipment must be returned one week after the end of the relevant sports season.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Final Reminders | In order to graduate, students must have completed the following: 25 credits, Senior Class Retreat, two-week Vocare service program, and a minimum of 41 hours of service to the poor and/or vulnerable. Under particular disciplinary and financial circumstances, the school retains the right to exclude a student from the graduation ceremony.

Scholarship Information | DSHA would like to use the scholarship information your daughters shared for the Honors Day booklet, awards ceremony, and other DSHA publications. We will not list the individual award amounts in the booklet; we will use the class data in certain reports. Please review the form on myDSHA.

Final Transcripts | On May 1, Decision Day, our Student Services staff will collect college matriculation data from each student. Students will inform the staff of the college they plan to attend and any other related information. The data will be imputed into our Naviance system. Students' final transcripts will be sent mid-June to the college indicated by the student. Any undecided students must inform Director of College Counseling Kristin Shea or College Assistant & Testing Coordinator Amy Lund when they make a decision; transcripts will be sent out accordingly.

College Dual-Credit Transcripts | Students are responsible for sending out their dual-credit transcripts from each college they received college credit. Students will contact each college with which they have dual credits and complete a transcript request from each to be sent to their attending college. There is typically a fee associated with sending dual-credit transcripts. Transcript requests are typically found on the college's website.

Official Test Scores | Some schools may require official ACT, SAT, or AP test scores. Students will need to send scores through the individual testing agencies. Each student will need to access their student accounts to send the test scores. There is a fee to send scores. 2026 AP scores will not be available until July.

Contact Director of College Counseling Kristin Shea with questions.