Wauconda High graduation ceremony likely to stay at church
Wauconda High School's annual commencement ceremony likely will remain at Quentin Road Bible Baptist Church in Lake Zurich, at least for the Class of 2018.
Wauconda Middle School's promotion ceremony for 8th graders will stay at the church, too.
Wauconda Unit District 118 administrators have recommended both celebrations continue to be held at the church, which has hosted the gatherings since 2006.
School board members discussed the issue during a committee-of-the-whole meeting Thursday night and agreed. The board is expected to formalize that decision with a vote June 15.
"The district is grateful for the opportunity to continue to have our ceremonies at Quentin Road Church," Superintendent Daniel Coles said Friday.
The administration looked into relocating the ceremonies because they haven't looked at other options "in some time," Coles said.
Officials gathered information about six other possible venues: Wauconda High School; the College of Lake County in Grayslake; the Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake; the Libertyville Sports Complex; the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates; and Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington.
They considered availability, seating and parking capacity; rental fees; audiovisual needs and other issues.
In a memo to the board, Coles said the Quentin Road Bible Baptist Church's advantages include:
• A large, air-conditioned auditorium.
• A gymnasium that has video screens and can be used for overflow audience members.
• Its location, which is less than 7 miles from the high school.
Renting the church costs the district $3,500 for each ceremony.
All religious icons are removed from the auditorium or covered before the school ceremonies, Coles said.
Wauconda is the only high school that uses the church for commencement. More than 300 Wauconda High graduates received diplomas at the church May 21.
Mundelein High held graduation at the church from 2005 to 2009, but its ceremonies now are at the Sears Centre.
Likewise, Wauconda Middle is the only middle school to hold a promotion ceremony at the church.