Monday, October 22, 2007 at 2:19 PM -0500 wrote:
> I am trying to gain some insight into the variety of events many of
>your schools do as alternatives to the traditional school dance. I know
>that many schools have ceased with dances and I was wondering if any of
>you have experimented with doing the same. Thanks for any feedback you
>can provide.
Hi!
After a three-year-long conversation with our students and two actual
dances, we have decided as a middle school community not to have dances
any more. While disappointed in some ways, our students have come to
realize it's not really that great a way to get to know people from other
schools, plus they've come to accept that our school will not permit
bump-and-grind dancing any time in the near future (honestly, I think that
is a relief to more kids than would admit it). They do still want to get
together with other local schools, and in their student government group
(which includes all 22 students) have brainstormed ideas for activities
such as a Halloween party, ice-skating, bowling, "Take Your Friend to
School Day," and more. I think their idea, which makes sense to me, is to
give kids something fun to do while they're getting to know each other.
In-house, they have asked for a movie night and a sleepover (we're a
boarding school, but this would include day students too), among other
activities.
The upper school no longer hosts dances, largely because few schools were
willing to make the trek up here any more, but we do send kids south to
Connecticut on a fairly regular basis, and are happy to do so.
That's the quick once-over!
Take care,
Bill Ivey
Stoneleigh-Burnham School
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