With Lehighton Area High School's graduation around one month away, the location of the ceremony remains a question mark.

The event is currently scheduled for May 27 in the high school gymnasium, but many parents and graduating seniors would like to see it held in the district's athletic stadium built this year.This week, school board members authorized Lehighton's administration to attempt to negotiate an agreement with the general contractor for the stadium project that would allow graduation to be held in the facility.Superintendent Jonathan Cleaver said the issue isn't as easy as it may seem.Though there are still some project items to be completed, the district has a temporary occupancy permit to use the stadium and contractor CMG of Easton gave it permission to hold its home track and field events there this spring."Immediately after the track season, however, the stadium goes back to CMG and their subcontractor who will be resurfacing the track," Cleaver said. "If we were to use the stadium during that time, we could lose our warranty and theoretically CMG could walk away from the resurfacing project because it would void the contract we have with them."As part of CMG's bid on the entire project, the resurfacing project will only cost Lehighton $200.Should CMG walk away and the district have to find another company to do the work, it would likely cost between $175,000 and $200,000.Even if the track was resurfaced before graduation, it would be off limits for 30 days following the work.The mother of senior football player Xander Smith read a letter to the board urging them to consider moving the ceremony outdoors."We're thrilled and proud to have this new stadium and yet disappointed that it came too late to perform in it athletically," said Smith, one of the athletes chosen to help break ground at the facility in June. "We understand the event may be compromised by weather and it may not be the easiest of venue options, but I hope you can see what this would mean to all of us."Holding the event in the stadium, parents added, would allow more friends and family members of the seniors to be able to attend because seating Iinthe gymnasium is limited.High school Principal Craig Reichl said he polled seniors last week and though he didn't get 100 percent participation, the results were close with about 10 more students wanting the ceremony outdoors.The last time a Lehighton graduation was held outside was 20 years ago in a heavy rainstorm, prompting the move indoors in subsequent years.Should the district come to an agreement with CMG to hold graduation outside, the ceremony would still be moved inside in the case of inclement weather."Logistically, we just wouldn't be able to push it until the next day," Reichl said. "With things like the All Night Party already planned out and past classes coming in for the event, it has to happen on the scheduled date. That means we would have to plan for two different scenarios, one outside and one inside."Board members said they support holding graduation outside if something can be worked out with CMG."The parents and students of this class have gone through a lot and the least we can do is let them graduate in the stadium," Wayne Wentz said.