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Graduation at the new arena saved district roughly $538,000 but highlighted accessibility and security lessons
Summary
District officials said using the South Lake arena for 13 graduations yielded roughly $538,000 in savings compared with the prior year, while safety staff recommended traffic fixes, additional staffing and access improvements after an operational after‑action review.
District staff reported operational and financial outcomes from the class of 2026 graduation season and outlined safety, traffic and accessibility lessons learned.
Officials said holding 13 high school graduations at the South Lake arena and coordinating operations across departments produced an estimated $538,000 in savings compared with fiscal 2025. The district credited stronger control of logistics and a dedicated graduation planning team for the reduction in cost and said social media coverage of the events reached roughly 1 million views.
Safety and security staff described adjustments made before and during the graduation schedule to address crowd and traffic issues. The team worked with Clayton County Department of Transportation to recalibrate a problematic traffic signal at a mall entrance that had caused bottlenecks during previous events, staged officers at ingress/egress points to improve vehicle flow and opened an additional checkpoint during one ceremony to resolve a crowding issue. The safety presentation noted an internal detective response team was created in 2024 and was used to protect board members and the superintendent when graduates crowded the dais during a recessional.
Officials also identified improvement priorities for future ceremonies: enhanced ADA and accessibility accommodations on arrival and seating, additional staff to monitor arena floor behavior, improved hospitality/volunteer supports for guests, and consideration of daytime scheduling or modified school calendars during large ceremonies so safety personnel can be redeployed without increasing external security costs.
Board members asked for details about staffing numbers on tactical and security teams and sought assurance the contractor punch lists for new construction (including the convocation center) would be completed before final payments. District staff said the convocation center punch list is due by the end of July and that withheld funds exceed estimated punch‑list costs.
The board requested follow‑up information on staffing levels, punch‑list documentation and accessibility planning ahead of 2027 graduation planning.
