Emails Reveal Stadium Conflict Upended Graduation Plans Months Before Ceremony
State 48 News has the emails showing how a last-minute scheduling conflict at State Farm Stadium forced Agua Fria Union High School District to quickly move graduation.
Students and families in the Agua Fria Union High School District have a lot to celebrate today—fortunately, graduation ceremonies are going off without a hitch, but it took a week of behind-the-scenes scrambling and major schedule changes to make it happen.
Verrado High School Graduation | May 12, 2025 | Agua Fria Union HSD YouTube
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Through records requests, State 48 News obtained internal emails detailing the abrupt cancellation of high school graduation ceremonies at State Farm Stadium—leaving families heartbroken, one West Valley school district scrambling, and forcing a major schedule shakeup. What was supposed to be a Saturday celebration was abruptly moved to a Monday, requiring Agua Fria Union High School District to not only rebook its venue, but also adjust the academic calendar for all students districtwide to accommodate the last minute changes.
In the late afternoon of February 7, the Agua Fria Union High School District posted the graduation changes to its social media pages—but disabled comments on the post. A letter from Superintendent Mark Yslas sent to families explained State Farm Stadium had bumped the district's graduation ceremonies due to a larger event taking precedence.
The letter acknowledged the disruption, noting, “I sincerely apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause,” and confirmed the new venue as Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, with the ceremony rescheduled for Monday, May 12, 2025.
In a shared post, one parent shared their frustration, saying, “This change has caused a lot of problems since people had already ordered announcements and had family scheduled to come in.”
District Finalizes Backup Plan Within a Week to Ensure Smooth Graduation Experience
Behind the scenes, internal communications show the Agua Fria Union High School District moved quickly to finalize a backup plan and notify families. To accommodate the sudden shift from a Saturday to a Monday graduation, the district adjusted its calendar—making Friday, May 9 the last day of school for seniors and canceling classes districtwide on Monday, May 12 to allow families and staff to attend the ceremonies. The goal, according to district messaging, was to ensure “a smooth and stress-free celebration for all.”
A week earlier, State 48 News finds in an email dated January 30, 2025, Brian Hatchitt, Director of Sales for Private Events at State Farm Stadium, informed Agua Fria Union High School District official Tom Huffman that the district’s planned graduation ceremonies could no longer be accommodated due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict.
“We are unable to host your district’s ceremonies over the requested date of May 17, 2025,” Hatchitt wrote, while offering Desert Diamond Arena—located next door—as an alternative for May 12–13 or May 22–24.
The email noted State Farm Stadium would work to ensure the venue switch did not raise the district’s final costs compared to 2024, and acknowledged the “logistical challenges” the change might cause for families and staff.
By the morning of February 7 at 9:22 a.m.—district official Tom Huffman confirmed the choice, writing:
“We want the 12th… This whole thing has been quite a shock for us and there are so many moving parts academically and working with families.”
The emails show the decision to shift the ceremony date and venue was finalized quickly, even as the district worked to manage the fallout from the abrupt change.
Graduation Dates Secured Years in Advance: Emails Show Agua Fria Booked 2025 Ceremony in 2023, Locked in 2027 by 2024
State 48 News also obtained email records confirming Agua Fria Union High School District’s May 17, 2025, graduation date at State Farm Stadium was secured as early as March 2023. In fact, as recently as November 2024, stadium officials were still in communication with the district, requesting confirmation on ceremony times and projected graduate counts.
To underscore how far in advance these events are typically planned, one email reveals that Agua Fria had already secured its 2027 graduation date at State Farm Stadium by October 2024—more than two years ahead of time.
Agua Fria Union High School District declined further comment.
State 48 News congratulates all the incredible students graduating today—your hard work, resilience, and achievements deserve to be celebrated! 🎓👏
ON THE WEST SIDE
Tomorrow night, in the Liberty Elementary School District, 11 staff members will be honored as they retire—marking years of service amid one of the district’s most turbulent chapters in recent memory.
This morning, State 48 News was the only member of the public present at a Special Governing Board Meeting where board members met virtually to decide the future of Superintendent Dr. Cort Monroe. The meeting, held via Google Meet, is believed to be the first fully remote session since the pandemic. Only Board President Michael Todd appeared on camera during the opening session; the rest of the board remained off-screen.
Less than 50 minutes later, the board returned to public session and voted 5–0 to “take action as instructed by the Governing Board” regarding Superintendent Monroe. No further details were disclosed.
State 48 will continue to monitor this story.
The move follows months of escalating turmoil within Liberty ESD: low proficiency scores, multiple board member resignations, recall efforts, controversy over bonus pay for the superintendent, and a mounting staff exodus. As of this week, the district has nearly 100 job openings across all eight schools and its district office.