by Nisha Khatri ‘26

Sherwood’s Class of 2026 graduation will be at UMBC on May 28 at 6 p.m., as announced by administration in early October. Sherwood’s graduations have been at UMBC for the past three years, creating a sense of familiarity with the location.

Students, staff, and parents have generally expressed approval for the location over the past few years, from the commute to the high-guest capacity.

However, MCPS has stirred controversy with their recent announcement that they would be moving all graduations for the Class of 2026 to UMBC’s “centralized” venue. The district has listed an indoor setting, ample parking, and accessibility as several reasons for the change. Notably, MCPS negotiations with UMBC have also resulted in considerably lower costs for schools and families.

MCPS graduations have been in a variety of locations for the past few years, including UMD, Mount St. Mary’s University, and DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. Removing the choice for schools to make their individual decision has thus posed challenges and prompted pushback.

Some students worry about having to travel during rush hour, while others express frustration about not receiving ample notice of this change in plan. Damascus, for instance, has had a long-standing tradition of graduation taking place on their high school football field. Other schools, including Poolesville, Northwest, and Clarksburg, are more than 40 miles away from UMBC.