Lee school board sets high school graduations for Memorial Day weekend
Go ahead and book your high school senior's graduation party and order the invites.
The Lee County school board has given a thumbs-up to the ceremony schedule for 2020's graduating class, with all events scheduled for the long Memorial Day weekend.
The ceremonies for the 13 traditional public high schools will be held at one of three sites:
Suncoast Credit Union Arena at Florida SouthWestern State College
Location:13351 FSW Parkway, Fort Myers
Seating size: 3,500
- Mariner High School 10 a.m. Saturday, May 23:
- Cypress Lake High School 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23
- Cape Coral High School 7 p.m. Saturday, May 23
Alico Arena at Florida Gulf Coast University
Location: 12181 FGCU Lake Parkway East, Fort Myers
Seating size: 4,633 (including 300 standing-room-only)
- Ida S. Baker High School 10 a.m. Saturday, May 23
- Island Coast High School 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23
- East Lee County High School 7 p.m. Saturday, May 23
- Dunbar High School 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 24
- South Fort Myers High School 7 p.m. Sunday, May 24
Location: 11000 Everblades Parkway, Estero
Seating size: More than 8,500 (concert capacity)
- Fort Myers High School 10 a.m. Saturday, May 23
- Riverdale High School 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 23
- North Fort Myers High School 7 p.m. Saturday, May 23
- Lehigh Senior High School 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 24
- Estero High School 7 p.m. Sunday, May 24
More:Lee's class of 2019 earned $64 million in scholarships, district reports
Outdoor events, like on football fields, are passed over because May weather in Southwest Florida often features an unpleasant combination of high temperatures, rain showers and humidity. Because school buildings, like auditoriums, aren't made for graduation-sized crowds, the schools need to book graduations off-site.
"(School) auditoriums seat 900 people," explained Rob Spicker, a spokesperson for the district. "If you have a graduating class of 500, that leaves 400 seats for the audience. We hold (graduations) in larger venues so students' families and friends can attend."
Rental fees are estimated to cost $100,000, which will be paid for out of the school system's $923.9 million general fund.
Nearly 5,500 students are currently registered as seniors in Lee County. Bonita Springs High School, the district's newest high school, won't have its first graduating class until 2021.
Other school district ceremonies are:
Buckingham Exceptional Center. Graduation will be 1 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at the school, located at 3291 Buckingham Road, Fort Myers.
Lee Virtual School. Graduation will take place at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 23, at the Cape Coral Yacht Club, 5819 Driftwood Parkway.
Adult & Career Education. Graduation will take place at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, May 24 at Fort Myers High School, 2635 Cortez Blvd.
More:Photos from high school graduations across Lee County
Connect with this reporter: pmccabe@news-press.com