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Huntley schools weigh NIU graduation contract as board explores closer, cheaper venues
Summary
School leaders told the Board of Education that Northern Illinois University remains the recommended site for high school graduation despite higher fees and a later start time; administrators said they will compare Willow Creek, NOW Arena and in-district options before a final contract decision this fall.
The Huntley Community School District 158 curriculum committee told the Board on Sept. 4 that administrators recommend continuing graduation ceremonies at Northern Illinois University (NIU) while the district researches alternatives, citing capacity and recent fee increases. District staff said the 2025 contract year would keep ceremonies at NIU but that the board still could pursue other sites for future years.
The recommendation reflects two developments, district staff said: NIU raised fees for printing, staffing and security and moved the district’s start time later to 6:30 p.m. “As you know, this is the final year of our contract with NIU,” a staff member told the committee, and the arena’s new staffing and security needs drove much of the increase. Administrators said an alternative now called the NOW Arena previously quoted costs “around $30,000” for comparable events, and that venue and Willow Creek were among places the district has considered.
Why it matters: graduation is a large, single-day operational expense that also affects families’ travel and timing. The board must balance cost, seat capacity, accessibility for families and sound/streaming quality when the contract for 2026 is finalized.
Administrators described the practical trade-offs. NIU can hold multiple district graduations in May and staffs several ceremonies each day; staff said the facility’s schedule constrains earlier start times. Streaming and sound are provided by NIU’s AV setup; district staff said the vendor used to outsource live streaming and that recent issues with audio prompted ongoing coordination with NIU. “In terms of sound, just we try to get in there early,” a staff member said of the arena’s setup. The district estimated additional NIU costs include staffing for security and increased AV support.
Board members and community members urged the district to re-check closer venues and the high school field. Board member comments criticized NIU’s commute time for families and poor sound quality and asked the administration to reengage Willow Creek and to reexamine running ceremonies at the high school field if weather contingencies could be managed. One board member said: “My favorite of the five was actually the one at the high school. It felt good to be at the place where they were.”
Administrators said they will present a comparative review of up to four venues — NIU, NOW Arena, Willow Creek and the high school/McHenry County College (MCC) facilities — with availability, pricing, pros and cons. They told the board they need a decision within a few months to meet venue contracting timelines: “We're set for this year, but we probably would need to hear probably within the next few months,” a staff member said.
Process and next steps: staff said the 2025 NIU agreement had years added administratively and that the board needs to regularize those extensions; the district will finalize contract paperwork for 2025–26 and bring a venue comparison back to the board. The committee directed staff to compile availability, pricing and a pros-and-cons comparison for the four locations and to return with that analysis at upcoming meetings.
