The Gloucester County School Board unanimously voted to hold the 2026 Gloucester High School graduation ceremony at Kaplan Arena on the campus of the College of William & Mary on Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m.
However, this vote does not guarantee that the college will approve hosting GHS’s graduation.
Since 2020, GHS has held graduation either at the school or at Dukes Stadium, the school’s athletic field. The new tradition started due to social distancing rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, the district would typically reserve Kaplan Arena for graduation.
Community feedback that the district received on the graduation venue indicated that people would prefer an indoor ceremony, particularly those who are elderly or who have disabilities.
Dukes Stadium can accommodate about 4,500 people, while Kaplan should be able to house at least 4,000 guests for the purpose of graduation. The district has not received a firm seating number from the college yet.
“I would anticipa...