JERSEY SHORE -- Seniors at Jersey Shore Area High School will get to dance the night away at their prom this year thanks to the approval of a plan submitted to the school board proposing a way to hold the event safely during this second year of the pandemic, which closed it down last year.
All nine board members approved the proposal presented by Missy Williamson, senior class adviser, who detailed how the prom would be held at a local 10,000-square-foot venue, which would allow 175 people at the current mandated capacity limit of 15 percent.
Williamson explained that only the 147 members of the senior class will be permitted to attend this year's prom, which is planned for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., May 28. Chaperones and security are also included in the total number of people attending.
"There is a separate entrance to their event space so the students would not be going through the main part of the building. We would be entering right into the event space which is separate from their public area," Williamson said.
She noted that students would use a QR code to check in and out of the space so that guests can be identified.
A large part of the plan is centered around students remaining in cohort groups, which will be determined by the students about a week before prom.
"They can kind of organize and decide who they want to hang out with for the night with their cohort group. Once they sign up into those groups of 20 to 25, we will be assigning them a color group and we will have six different zones, if that's what we need depending on the number of students who decide to come to prom," Williamson said.
Each cohort will be given a wristband in their cohort's color. Two chaperones will be assigned to each cohort.
She said that students will be required to wear a mask in the event space. Pre-packaged food and beverages will be provided within each cohort so that there will not be a common area for refreshments.
The plan is to utilize four security guards for the evening. Williamson said that at the beginning two will be located in the parking lot, one at the entrance scanning temperatures and one indoor at the event getting students into their cohorts.
"During the event, we will have one security stationed at the restroom area because the restroom area is right outside the event space and that will prevent students from going into the public area. We will have three of the security within the event space," Williamson said.
Students will also be required to sign a prom promise when they purchase tickets for the event.
"They'll promise to follow all the driving rules and be safe on prom night, because that is our goal, that all of our students are safe for the evening," Williamson added.
In a departure from the usual procedure of a presentation followed by a vote at the next meeting, due to the timeliness of securing the venue, the board voted on the proposal at the same meeting.
Board members present were: Craig Allen, David Becker, Harry Brungard, Patrice Doebler, Angela Grant, Wayne Kinley, Nancy Petrosky, Michelle Stemler and Mary Thomas.