This will be the last year that Lake Orion High School’s graduating seniors receive their diplomas at Meadowbrook Music Theatre, located on the campus of Oakland University.
Lake Orion Schools Superintendent Christine Lehman said starting in 2007, LOHS will hold their graduation ceremony at the Freedom Hill Amphitheater.
Freedom Hill is located on Metropolitan Parkway in Sterling Heights, between 16 mile and Schoenherr Roads.
Lehman told school board members on Jan. 11 that a committee from the high school had been investigating moving graduation from Meadowbrook, and came up with Freedom Hill as the best option.
‘Our class sizes are growing to the point where we are out growing Meadowbrook,? she said. ‘The best part about Freedom Hill is it will allow our students to have more family at graduation.?
School board member Mary Jo Burchart said Freedom Hill is set up much the same as Meadowbrook.
‘If we’d stayed at Meadowbrook, we would have to go down to two tickets per student,? she said. ‘That’s not an option.?
‘We’re sharing this with everyone now so they can make plans,? Lehman said.
‘For at least the first year (of graduation at Freedom Hill), we’ll have to look at a couple of dates, to see what’s available.?
The committee at LOHS investigated the possibility of using the Palace of Auburn Hills for graduation, but Lehman said they found it was too expensive.
‘Also, there’s the Pistons…if they make the playoffs, they bump all the other activities,? she added.
Detroit Energy Music Theatre said they only host the graduation for Clarkston High School.
‘The Silverdome is not available,? Lehman said, adding that other facilities in Detroit were also not available.
The committee found that the cost of holding graduation at Freedom Hill was comparable to Meadowbrook.
‘There was also the option of the LOHS football field,? said trustee Janet Wolverton. ‘But that would mean having to split the class into two.?
Lehman added that using the football field would also be like ‘planning a wedding outside.?
‘There’s the weather to consider,? she said. ‘We really tried to look at all the avenues.?