Graduation will move, but not too far

Construction on Douglas High School's track and football field will force administrators to move the graduation ceremony, but it won't have to go very far.

Parents will get to hear the school's plans for graduation at a session 6 p.m. today in the Douglas High School Commons.

In a letter to parents and posted on the school's Web site, Principal Marty Swisher said graduation will be held on the baseball and softball fields adjacent to Keith Roman Field 5 p.m. June 16.

Swisher said there will be seats for 3,500 people, though he encouraged families to bring their own chairs. Because there will be no lighting for the field, the ceremony will have to be over by sunset.

If weather becomes an issue, the ceremony would be June 17 at 9 a.m.

"Our goal is to have the best graduation Douglas High School has ever had and the high school is where it should be," Swisher said Monday. "But for me to say we were going to have graduation here before we had everything ready and then not be able to fulfill that promise would have been wrong."

Rumors that ran from holding graduation at the fairgrounds or even Carson High School had a grain of truth to them, Swisher said.

"We looked at all the venues that might work in Carson Valley and even considered South Lake Tahoe and Whittell, but their parking was too small," he said. "I want to thank Carson High School Principal Fred Perdomo for offering their facilities. Carson was the first group to step up to offer the use of their field. We may be bitter rivals, but we are also a community willing to help each other."

Swisher said Douglas High School's graduating class will top out at 430, and that he anticipates 3-4,000 spectators.

Before they could use the ball fields, three issues had to be addressed, seating, electricity and support facilities like bathrooms.

"Those three things have been resolved," he said. "We won't have the stadium seating, but we will be able to rent and bring chairs from the school district to meet the capacity."

In his letter, Swisher said Josten's has offered to provide an insert card to reflect the change of ceremony and Kid Pix has held up their printing of announcements to include the time.

Swisher's letter is posted on the Douglas High School Web site.

What: Parent Information Night

When: 6 p.m. today

Where: Douglas High School Commons

Info: dcsd.k12.nv.us/dhs/