AUBURN — The swearing-in ceremony for newly elected city officials will have a school theme this year.

Mayor Jonathan LaBonte and members of the City Council and School Committee will be sworn in at a Dec. 9 ceremony at Edward Little High School.

“The mayor really wants to focus on education for the next couple of years, so that’s why we are having it at Edward Little,” said Karen Veilleux, executive assistant to the city manager. “We’ve really incorporated a lot of the School Department in this.”

Members of the school’s band and show choir will perform before and during the ceremony. The ceremony will close with the students leading the crowd in singing the Edward Little school song.

Joshua Shea, outgoing city councilor-at-large, will provide the welcome speech, the Rev. Dr. Jodi Cohen Hayashida of the First Universalist Church will provide the invocation, and members of the city’s police and fire honor guards will present the flags as local veterans lead the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The city will provide refreshments afterward in the school gymnasium.

Veilleux said the city is trying to get a count to determine how many people are expected to attend, and how many have special requirements due to disabilities. They’ve set up an online survey  and are asking residents to RSVP.

staylor@sunjournal.com