MOLINE, Ill. — Moline Coal Valley School District staff on Aug. 11 recommended moving high school commencement back to Sunday after a trial Friday-night ceremony over Memorial Day weekend produced late starts, long lines and complaints about parking and sound.

Dr. Seth Savage, a district staff member, told the Board of Education the district arranged with Vibrant Arena to hold its first-choice date (Friday) only if the venue did not receive a six-figure booking by Feb. 20; otherwise the district would be bumped to Sunday. Savage said the district tried the Friday date but encountered several problems and "it's my personal recommendation that you consider us moving back to a Sunday."

Why it matters: the change affects hundreds of graduates and their families, alters long-standing scheduling with two neighboring districts and has budget implications for the venue rental. District staff said returning to Sunday would allow cost-sharing with Pleasant Valley and North Scott and would likely "save more than $10,000," reduce conflicts with playoffs and avoid asking families and students to compress a full school day into a same-day rehearsal-and-ceremony schedule.

What the district reported

“We just wanted to take a little bit of time and have a opportunity just to talk about our experience moving graduation to Friday night at Memorial weekend,” Dr. Savage said, describing the original plan and the Vibrant Arena arrangement. Chris Moore, a district staff member who led the debrief, listed several operational problems he and staff observed at the Friday ceremony: a very late start; parking congestion caused in part by a concurrent Mercado event; long lines outside the venue; slow concession lines; and reports from some parents about sound issues. Moore said, "For me, most specifically was the very late start."

Moore told the board that he and others had met with Vibrant Arena after the event to press the district's concerns and to clarify communications so the district is the venue's point of contact for future changes. The staff memo given to the board noted that keeping commencement on Sunday would restore a schedule the district has used in prior years and would avoid splitting the Memorial Day weekend for families who travel.

Other details discussed

- Booking window: Staff said Vibrant's Feb. 20 cutoff for receiving a six-figure booking determined whether Friday or Sunday would be available.
- Cost sharing: Returning to Sunday would allow the district to share rental costs with Pleasant Valley and North Scott; the staff estimate given at the meeting was that this would "save more than $10,000."
- Invitations and timing: Staff reported that the Feb. 20 decision point meant invitations printed earlier did not include a specific date; some invitations showed only "May 2025," creating a keepsake complication for families.
- Student schedule: Holding graduation on Friday required seniors to rehearse during the day and return for commencement that night; staff said that compressed schedule was stressful for students and staff.
- Venue demand: Staff said Vibrant had notified them other districts were now asking for the Sunday slot and that holding two dates for the district may not be sustainable.

Board response and next steps

Board members who spoke during the discussion generally supported returning to Sunday. One board member, speaking without a recorded name, said the ceremony was "incredibly inspirational" despite the logistical problems and praised staff for their work; other members said the logistical and cost arguments weighed in favor of Sunday.

There was no formal motion or vote on the recommendation at the meeting. Staff said they would follow up with Vibrant Arena to seek a stable Sunday arrangement and to address the communication and operational issues raised during the debrief. The item was presented for input and a "pulse" from the board rather than as an action item.

Background and context

Moline has held commencement on Sunday in recent years and shared the date with other area districts; the district trialed a Friday-night ceremony to accommodate families' weekend plans and to test alternatives. The staff debrief emphasized logistical trade-offs — convenience for some families versus parking, staffing and cost— and framed the recommendation to return to Sunday as an effort to reduce risk and expense while restoring a predictable schedule for families and staff.

No formal policy changes or binding agreements were approved at the Aug. 11 meeting; staff will report back to the board after further discussion with Vibrant Arena.