Shortly after Eden Prairie Schools announced its Class of 2026 graduation date and time, parents, students and coaches in the Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) track and field program voiced what one parent called “significant frustration” because it conflicts with the state competition.

EPHS Principal Jaysen Anderson and Valley View Campus Principal Nicholas Kremer announced on Nov. 18 that the Class of 2026 graduation ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. on June 6 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, citing location, parking availability, ease of travel and the district’s experience at the venue last year as reasons for choosing it again.

However, track and field students and parents were quick to notice the date directly conflicts with the Class AAA track and field finals, which will take place at 3:30 p.m. June 6 at St. Michael-Albertville High School in St. Michael, according to the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL).

If nothing changes, some seniors may have to choose between competing at the state track finals and walking at graduation. Parents want the district to shift the ceremony time so student-athletes don’t have to sacrifice either milestone.

School district administrators, including Anderson, are aware of the situation and are currently working to find a solution.

When Heather Carr, an EP Schools parent with a senior in the track program, learned of the conflict in November, she was in disbelief.

“My initial reaction was, ‘Well, there has to be something we can do about this, or am I missing some detail about this?’” Carr said. “‘Surely, they wouldn’t schedule graduation ceremony at exactly the same time as one of the spring sports tournaments.’”

EPHS has a large track and field program that had successful results last year, including two girls relay teams qualifying and competing for Nike Outdoor Nationals in Eugene, Oregon last June (with one team earning All-American honors), a Class AAA boys’ 4×800-meter relay title at the state meet and the boys team placing sixth overall at state in the team rankings, according to MSHSL results data.

This is not the first time the EPHS graduation date has faced concerns and pushback from community members. Last year, the school district scheduled graduation on the same day as Eid al-Adha, a major Muslim holiday, and faced community backlash before changing the date entirely.

Grace Becker, the marketing and communications director for the school district, said in an email statement to Eden Prairie Local News earlier this week that planning the best time and date of graduation is a difficult task due to school and activities schedules, cultural celebrations and religious holidays.

“This is complicated by the fact that not all information is available about spring events at the time we need to sign a contract to secure a date and time with a venue,” Becker said in the email statement.

When reached for comment, Joe Perkl, EP Schools’ student activities director, deferred to the district’s communications office.

The district did not say how early it looks for and confirms venue availability, but both Carr and another EPHS parent with two children in the track and field program who asked to remain anonymous noted that athletic meets are scheduled well in advance.

The MSHSL also announced on its X account that this year’s state tournament calendar was approved by its board of directors on April 3 — more than a year before the upcoming state track meet.

“Definitely the senior parents are frustrated and even the coaches are frustrated,” the parent said. “I think it’s just a matter of the state track meet is set the year prior and so all it would have taken was just a quick little glance at the sports calendar to maybe just change the time of graduation.”

Both Carr and the anonymous parent acknowledge that there are many moving parts to this conflict, including uncertainty over how many students, let alone seniors, will qualify for the state meet. But Carr noted that EPHS typically sends at least a dozen athletes to state individual events and three relay teams, making it highly likely that seniors will qualify.

“It’s just unacceptable to me that my kid and potentially several others are going to have to choose between running in the track final and walking across the stage to get their diploma,” Carr said.

The anonymous parent added that this conflict also takes away senior students’ choices.

“There’s a lot of ‘what ifs,’ and we totally understand that, but still ‘what ifs’ right,” the anonymous parent said. “You’re still possibly taking away that experience from these kids that have gone to school for 13 years and worked really hard.”

Both Carr and the parent who asked for anonymity said that Anderson has been responsive with parents as he works to try to find a solution.

According to an interview with the anonymous parent on Nov. 21, Anderson sent out a message saying that he, the athletic directors and coaches were working to come up with a plan. Carr said in an email on Nov. 25 that Anderson has been speaking with parents and students about several options for the graduation ceremony and that a solution is on the horizon.

At the time of writing, no alternative plan has been announced, but the district said conversations are still in progress.

“With the state-level track meet overlapping with graduation, we have spent the last several weeks meeting with students, families and coaches to discuss how to best honor each Eagle’s accomplishments both on the field and in the classroom,” Becker said in the email statement. “We will continue these conversations and find a solution so every student can be celebrated in a way that’s meaningful to them and their families.”