Commencement Day 2026 falls on Monday, May 18, a shift from the traditional Sunday ceremony. The reason for this change is the availability of two high-ranking community members: Head of School Jay Rainey and Head of Upper School Scott Small. Both faculty members have daughters graduating from college on Sunday, May 17. To plan around these conflicts, Rainey went to the Board of Trustees, along with other administrators.
“My first question was, how important is it that I be there?” Rainey said. “And I was interested in what people thought because someone could sub in for me, right? And it was interesting, at the school leadership level, the comfort with someone else subbing in for me was greater than it was at the board level. But I realized that Mr. Small also had a conflict, he would have been the substitute, [and] when I took that to the board, they said, ‘that’s it. We have to move the date.’”
Typically, Small’s role during the commencement ceremony is limited, but he would have been the one to assume Rainey’s role, had he been available. Thus, it was decided that it would be best if graduation was moved.
“I would have absolutely jumped at the chance to take more responsibility if one of them were absent. But I think the fact that both of them are absent makes more sense to move it to Monday,” Daniel George, Dean of the class of 2026, said. “I think it was a good decision, considering the facts on the ground, and the fact that two of the most important people at the graduation weren’t going to be there. I think if it was just one, I would have definitely advocated for it to be on a Sunday.”
Seniors in the class of 2026 are split on Rainey’s initial question: how important is it that he and Small attend graduation?
“I just feel like I don’t see Mr. Rainey at all. I don’t really see Mr. Small at all. I see Dean George more than any of them, and I feel like that has more value to a graduation of our class than anything,” Clyde Siow ‘26 said.
On the other hand, some students view the voices of Rainey and Small as important because of their overall contributions to the school.
“They’re the people who make our school lives how they are now and obviously you would want them there. Without them, I don’t feel like it would be a valid graduation at any school,” Karthik Krishnaswamy ‘26 said.
Rainey said he would have preferred to keep graduation on a Sunday.
“We looked at the next Sunday. We looked at the Sunday before, the Sunday after, maybe even two weeks out. We looked at this so hard at the time. And our concern was travel, holiday schedules. Anyway, we just ended up saying, ‘we’re just going to move it a day.’ And really, if you think about it, the least disruptive thing to do is to move it the minimum amount of time,” Rainey said.
Commencement comes at a busy time in the MICDS year, with AP tests, spring sport playoffs and local and national holidays surrounding it. This meant rescheduling was a great challenge to overcome, but Rainey and George believe the following day was the most convenient, or least inconvenient, date.
“I feel like it’s not fair,” Siow said. “I feel like it should always be on a Sunday. I don’t understand why we had to move it to Monday for two people. I understand that they are important figures and all, but we are 100 kids. I feel like it’s a bit inconvenient for everybody else.”
Some families have been impacted by the date change.
“My brother actually graduates on Monday as well,” Gigi Koster ‘26 said. “He goes to Boston College. So we have to coordinate trying to go from Boston to St. Louis. I also think there are a lot of issues with the timing. Typically, our graduation is earlier in the day, and so people will do a dinner afterwards. It starts at seven this year, which is just gonna make it later in the day overall, so there’s not as much time for a little after dinner.”
Koster’s family may be more affected, but others’ are impacted to some degree.
“I think my dad just might have to take off work,” Shaan Patel ‘26 said.
