Otter Tail County schools mark graduation season for class of 2026

Graduation season is moving town by town across Otter Tail County, with seniors already crossing the stage in several communities while Fergus Falls schools finish the year on a later schedule. The county’s 10 school districts, 32 schools and 7,830 students make the class of 2026 part of a broad education landscape that stretches from public schools in small towns to a private academy.

Underwood High School held its graduation on May 16, and the Underwood School District said its last day of school was May 22 at 12:45 p.m. The district also marked senior week as a special time for the Class of 2026, underscoring how much of late May revolves around senior milestones in a district where the final bell and commencement came close together. Rothsay Public School followed on May 22, listing both the last day of school and graduation day at 7 p.m.

Battle Lake Public Schools built toward commencement with a Class of 2026 senior breakfast on May 19 and senior high awards day the same day. New York Mills High School also celebrated its graduates on May 22, adding another ceremony to a week that was packed with cap-and-gown moments across the county. Those dates show how graduation in Otter Tail County is not a single countywide event, but a sequence of local celebrations tied to each district’s calendar.

Hillcrest Academy held its Class of 2026 commencement on May 24 at 6 p.m. at Celebration Hall, with Dwight Gingerich delivering the address. That ceremony added a private-school note to the season and reflected the mix of educational options that shape the county, where families can move between public districts and independent academies while still marking the same rite of passage.

Fergus Falls Public Schools still had a week of school left as of May 30, with the last day set for June 3. The district listed ALC graduation for June 4 and high school graduation for June 5, extending the county’s commencement season into early June.

The Otter Tail Lakes Country Association describes the county as home to a variety of public and private schools and education providers serving learners from preschool through post-secondary programs. In practical terms, this spring’s graduation calendar shows a countywide transition already well underway, with each community sending off its seniors on its own schedule while sharing the same milestone.