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Board debates 2026 commencement venue as members raise access and cost concerns
Summary
Board members questioned seating, accessibility and ticket limits at Newman University and asked administration to explore alternatives (Villanova, Leo Center, or an in-district ceremony) and to survey parents before making a long-term decision.
Board members at the Sept. 18 Committee of the Whole spent an extended portion of the meeting discussing Academy Park High School’s planned commencement site for 2026 after administration proposed holding the ceremony at Newman University on June 8, 2026.
Several members said Newman’s seating and accessibility had been problematic in prior years. "The seating is awful, especially for those who are handicapped or disabled," one board member said, urging the administration to consider other venues or returning to an in-district night-field ceremony. Administrators said Newman currently offers sufficient capacity for the district’s needs and cited cost and parking as factors that limited other options.
Board members suggested exploring other venues that might have better seating or public-transit access — including the Leo Center (broad-street arenas referenced in discussion) and Villanova University’s Finnen Pavilion — or asking parents for input. Administrators said they would continue to look at alternatives and recommended surveying parents and gathering quotes; they also noted logistical constraints such as ticket limits and the additional costs of tents and chairs if the ceremony returned to district property.
No vote to change the venue was taken at the meeting; administrators said they would bring further information and that the board has time to consider changes for next year.
