It comes every four years, whether we want it to or not. Prom duty.
At our school, each teacher stays with his or her homeroom for all four years of high school. So when your homeroom students are juniors, you are in charge of the prom for the year. Last time I was a junior sponsor, prom was a total headache. We had to do EVERYTHING: select themes, conduct voting for themes, meet with kids to plan decor, book reservations, make decorations, set up, conduct the dance and all the logistics and chaperoning, and tear it down…it took MONTHS of preparation in advance and HOURS of work the weekend of the event.
This year we wised up.
The art teacher was contracted and paid (not nearly enough money) to plan and execute our prom. Our class was very fortunate to have raised enough money during the last three years to hire her, as well as buy materials and food to make the prom beautiful and memorable.
The theme was “Down the Rabbit Hole,” and there were students and circus performers dressed as Alice in Wonderland characters scattered throughout the event. They posed for photos and partook of a tea party. The Queen of Hearts was even present to crown the prom princess and queens (we had a tie). Overall, the atmosphere was very magical and Carroll-esque.
It was still really tiring being 34 weeks pregnant and spending 7+ hours that day working the prom in various capacities, from chaperoning setup to checking purses for prohibited items during walk-in and coordinating the court and crowning ceremony. But it was worth it to see the kids having so much fun!
Bella was just as excited as any high school student because she got to be a crown bearer. I have never heard of any other schools around doing this, but it is a MCHS tradition that young children and grandchildren of faculty members attend prom and carry the crowns during the ceremony. It is difficult because the crowning ceremony takes place at 10 p.m., but Bella had been looking forward to it for weeks. She even had her nails painted the same color as her dress when we went and got manicures last week. I’m not kidding.
We hung out in the “teacher’s lounge” area so she could see everything.
Not only was she excited about being a crown bearer, but she loves interacting with my students. I think it is mostly because she gets so much attention…they usually gush over her because they feel like they know her from hearing stories and seeing pictures. We were included in some of their selfies, and it tickled her to see them on my phone once the kiddos posted them to social media. She felt so big!
(I cropped the kids out to protect their privacy.)
A few teachers took “good” photos of us during the crowning ceremony, but their cameras were so nice that they revealed how pregnant and sweaty I really was, so I’m keeping those to myself (and untagging myself from them on Facebook).
Overall, Prom 2015 was awesome, despite a few snafus with the venue. It was the first in a series of weekends of summer memories that I can’t wait to share with my family and friends before baby Axton arrives!
Maggie the { ______ } 