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Public commenter urges review of graduation ticket limits and Sunday commencement timing
Summary
A member of the public asked the board to review ticket limits for high-school commencement and to reconsider scheduling graduation ceremonies on Sundays. The commenter described large graduating classes from earlier decades and requested that the district revisit capacity and ticket rules at Pollard Hill Field.
A public commenter asked the Winona Area Public School District Board to review graduation ticket limits and whether the district should continue holding commencement ceremonies on Sundays.
The commenter said they graduated from Winona High in 1986 (class of 413 students, 401 graduates) and recalled that the stadium accommodated large crowds without ticket restrictions by adding chairs on the track. The speaker said more-recent graduating classes are roughly 200 to 220 students and that current ticket allotments (previously eight tickets per graduate, later raised to 12) often exclude extended family members such as grandparents, uncles and cousins. The commenter requested the board remove or reexamine the ticket requirement so more guests can attend.
The speaker also said the 2025-26 school calendar listed commencement on a Sunday and asked whether the district planned to continue Sunday ceremonies or return to a Friday-night date; staff replied that this year's Sunday scheduling was tied to calendar changes caused by a geothermal project and the later start to the school year.
Board members acknowledged the public comment and said staff would review the request. The transcript does not show a formal policy change or motion on ticketing or ceremony scheduling during this meeting.
Ending: Staff will review graduation ticketing policies, stadium capacity and calendar-scheduling options and report back to the board; no formal action was recorded at this meeting.
