Auburn schools pivot to Norway Savings Bank Arena for graduation; district says logistics and inclusivity went smoothly

Principal Ackley told the Auburn School Committee on June 4 that Edward Little High School’s graduation was moved at short notice to Norway Savings Bank Arena because of weather and that the district successfully fit “just over 2,400 people” into the arena footprint.

The change allowed the district to provide at least eight tickets per family, seat about 242 graduates on the floor with three memorial chairs for students who died during their high‑school tenure, and to stage a project‑graduation event afterwards where students returned to Edward Little High School for supervised activities.

Why it matters: the last‑minute move involved multiple district and municipal partners and showed the system’s capacity to adapt logistics for a major community event while trying to maintain access, visibility and student supports.

District leaders’ account: Principal Ackley, who presented slides and video excerpts to the committee, described broad staff and community cooperation. He said the setup required staging and AV adjustments and credited audio‑visual contractor Greg Kenneboros and city public‑works staff for their roles. “It was a labor of love,” Principal Ackley said, describing the work to convert the arena to a graduation footprint.

Principal Ackley and other staff gave a breakdown of the setup, saying there were just over 1,200 chairs on the floor for general admission, just over 100 reserved floor seats, 242 graduate seats, three memorial seats, and roughly 800 additional seats in bleachers and standing areas. The ceremony was livestreamed and the district has posted the recording on its website for later viewing.

Superintendent Dr. Sue Doris and Assistant Superintendent Scott Anier both praised staff and volunteers for adapting quickly. Dr. Doris highlighted student inclusion during diploma presentation and special‑needs participation, calling those moments “powerful.” Scott Anier reported that the district coordinated bus transport so graduates rode to their elementary schools for community send‑offs and then to the arena.

Project Graduation: after the ceremony, students were given about 45 minutes to return to Edward Little High School for a chaperoned, substance‑free event that included inflatables, games, snacks and supervised activities at Saint Joseph’s College in Standish. Organizers reported that students were picked up by about 4:45 p.m. the same night.

What the committee heard: Chairperson Pamela Albert told the committee she had received only positive feedback about the pivot and thanked staff and public‑works crews for the rapid turnaround.

Looking ahead: committee members noted the district now has a working plan to use Norway Savings Bank Arena again for future rain‑date contingencies, and officials said the district will keep the production files and videos for future graduations and archival purposes.