FOR OUR GRADUATING GRADE (5TH GRADE LAST YEAR THIS YEAR WAS 4TH GRADE DUE TO REALIGNMENT OF GRADES IN THE ELEMNTARY LEVELS) WE HAVE ALWAYS HOSTED THE 4TH GRADE SQUARE DANCE.. EACH 4TH GRADER IS ALLOWED TO BRING 1 ADULT (DUE TO SPACE RESTRAINTS). wE DO HAVE A FEW THAT BRING BOTH (DUE TO DIVORCE CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE NON CUSTODIAL PARENT LIVES FAR AWAY OR WHATEVER. THEY CAN CHOOSE TO PURCHASE GRUB (DINNER) WHICH IS A KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN MEAL AND A TICKET TO THE DINNER OR JUST A TICKET TO THE DINNER. THE COST IS $10.00 PER COUPLE FOR DINNER &DANCE OR $6.00 PER COUPLE FOR DANCE ONLY. wE SOLICIT PRIZES FROM COMMUNITY BUSINESSES FOR THE FREE RAFFLE DUEING THE DINNER PROZES ARE SOLICTED FOR AADULTS AND KIDS. (NO ALCOHOL IS RAFFLED OFF)..tHE SQUARE DANCE CALLER WE USE COST ABOUT $375.00..WE DECORATE WITH BARN THEME EXCEPT REAL HAY DUE TO ALLERGIES AND A PROBLEM YEARS AGO WITH MICE BEING IN THE HAY BUNDLES.

This is my first year as President. I wanted to keep present programs going, but add something new, something for "my" term. I suggested a dance. Fortunately, my school staff was supportive. What may help you with your situation...is...we had a "Family Dance". We had a "Name the Dance" contest and we voted on that at one of our meetings. (winners won tickets to the dance) We had a great D.J., food was brought by parents, and the charge was $2.50 per person, no more than $10.00 per family. All $ was used to purchase door prizes and pay the D.J. We were going for a "fun" raiser, not a "fund" raiser. BUT...the most important item...it was a FAMILY DANCE. Every child had to be accompanied by an adult. Prizes were included for them along with some "older" songs. This could eliminate your principal's problems with supervision. Give it a try. AND..if all fails...be straight..your work is to bring home and school together...sounds like he/she is forgetting that.


Good Luck,
Way To Busy!!!

[ 04-02-2002: Message edited by: Way To Busy ]</p>

Tamo,
our school (k-6) has an annual 6th Grade "Cotillion" which they all look forward to at the end of the school year (around May). They spend some of their weekly PE time teaching the kids the proper way to ask someone to dance, and the proper way to accept or decline. They show them a simple two step dance, and where to place their hands (with strict consequences)and we have never had any problems (except 6th grade parents peeking in the doorways, pushing and shoving (not really) to see their son or daughter at this dance... We have a school pop. of 1160 students, 6th grade being about 175 kids or so. They stress this is more of an etiquette/respect type event, but to the kids it's still a 6th grade dance and we all love it.

Our school held a fifth grade dance every year for our departing 5th graders...that is until we got a new superintendant. She cancelled all dance type functions for 5th graders because she said it is not appropriate to encourage kids of that age to date, which I agree in theory. But had she been to any of these heavily chaperoned events she would have seen the girls dancing with each other and the boys on the sidelines poking at each other. No raging hormones there... Funny thing is that she stands behind the 6th grade welcome dance which takes place 2 1/2 months later...I guess they have their hormones under control at that point or something...it is ridiculous the administrative thinking regarding some of the trivial events!!

Before the school year started I was approached by my some 5th grade students about could the PTO have a 5th grade dance and I said I didn't know it would have to be brought up at a meeting. The first meeting I brought this subject up saying that over the summer some kids had approached me about this. The principle said no absolutely not. So did the teachers. His reasoning was pair off of boy/girls and discipline matters that might arise out of this. The teachers said no because you need alot of supervision. So I let it go. Then at a basketball game I was approached by some parents about this I told them what happened and said the reasons why and told them to get together and come to a meeting and make your opinions be heard. Well our last meeting was the biggest ever because of this reason. They were basically told no by the principle but he just tabled it. Then after the meeting he came down hard on me telling me fine let them get their committee together and that if there was any problems every kid would get out of school suspension. Make sure they knew the consequences, etc.. I'm assuming because I am the board member with the 5th grader. I told him wait, I dropped it someone else brought it up to keep me out of it. He said I have an idea a yearbook signing party they can even have music. My thought was well this will promote more boy/girl problems then a dance but kept my opinion to myself. Then I was told by some parents now you know why we don't get involved, we can fundraise for playground equiptment, chairs and so forth,but when we want to have a fun event for the kids we are shut down. I thought this was a democracy. Now I am put between a rock and a hard spot. He gets mad or the parents do. How do I stay out of it. He brings it up everytime I see him. I even told him keep me out of it.