Confusion surrounds prom attendance
On Tuesday, administration called juniors and seniors to the auditorium during advisory so life science teacher Mrs. Grise could discuss Wellness Day registration.
At the meeting, there was a miscommunication regarding Wellness Day attendance on May 16 and students eligibility to attend the prom on May 18.
Mrs. Grise mistakenly told students if they skipped Wellness Day on May 16, they would have to be present all day on Friday, May 17, in order to attend the prom. Some confusion ensued.
It has always been PA policy that students need to be present all day on Friday to attend the prom the next day. The 2018-19 student handbook states that “students absent on a Friday may not attend a dance scheduled for that weekend.”
The confusion then centered around Wellness Day attendance and prom eligibility.
Some students believed that Wellness Day attendance on Thursday was mandatory in order to attend the prom on Saturday. This is not the case.
On May 2, headmaster Mr. Famulari sent a “One Call Now” message to parents to clarify.
The message stated that attendance on Thursday, May 16 is a required school day, like the other three early release days this school year, but attendance is “independent of prom altogether.”
Mr. Famulari said this does not give students permission to skip school. “Regardless of their feelings toward Wellness Day and their scheduled appointments, school comes first,” he said.
However, if a student is tardy, misses a class or is absent on Friday, May 17, they will not be able to attend the prom.
“Valid documentation for excusal will need to be produced in advance,” Mr. Famulari said. “Hair, nail, dress and tux appointments do not qualify and will have to wait until after 2:20 on May 17.”
Secretary Mrs. Berube said that open campus students are still allowed to come in at their usual time, but students in academic labs, transition labs and teacher aides are not allowed to come in late for school.
Prom committee member Ryan Martineau said that they can’t refund money to people who choose not to come to school.
“When you buy a ticket your food and place at the table are paid for,” he said. “If we refunded people’s money, we would lose money.”
I'm a senior and I’m a student advocate for the Choose Love Movement, and I travel to other advisories at Pembroke Academy to spread Jesse Lewis’ message...
