(WSB photo by Oliver Hamlin, Chief Sealth IHS graduation last June)

No graduations in the shadow of the Space Needle this year, since Memorial Stadium is getting rebuilt. But that’s not why Class of 2026 parents have a plea for Seattle Public Schools now, with a half-year to go. The district has announced only that graduation ceremonies will be held June 10-12 and June 15-17. That means graduation travelers – grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. coming here from afar – are competing with FIFA World Cup travelers, since the first of the six Seattle matches is June 15. Arin, parent of a Chief Sealth IHS senior, is asking other Seattle seniors’ parents to implore the district to publicize specific dates ASAP – here’s what Arin wrote:

Email principals, SPS executives, and school board directors to demand they release 2026 graduation dates!

Families are now competing with World Cup for hotels and travel accommodations. WE NEED DATES!! Feel free to copy and paste:

I am writing to express serious concern about the continued delay in releasing the Class of 2026 school specific graduation dates. With Seattle hosting the World Cup, hotel and travel costs during this period are skyrocketing. Every week that passes without confirmed dates makes it significantly harder — and in many cases financially impossible — for families to plan to attend their students’ graduation ceremonies.

This issue goes beyond inconvenience. It raises real equity and inclusivity concerns. Families with limited financial flexibility are disproportionately affected by the district’s lack of timely communication.

Graduation is meant to be a unifying, inclusive celebration for all students and their loved ones — not an event that only those who can afford last-minute travel arrangements are able to experience. Hotels are now requiring a minimum of 3 nights stay at inflated rates.

Other districts have already published their graduation calendars. Seattle Public Schools should not be putting its own families at a disadvantage.

I respectfully urge the district to release the Class of 2026 graduation dates immediately. The delay is creating unnecessary hardship and undermining the district’s stated commitments to equity and inclusion.

It is NOT at all helpful to finally tell families that is will be sometime between June 10-17 but not June 13-14. You’re letting your students and families down.

The neighboring Highline district, for example, announced its schedule in October.