Homecoming Dance: Student & Parent Expectations

Tuesday, 28 September 2010

Greetings Upper School Parents:

With the approach of Homecoming events at MVS, including a Saturday “chock-full” of athletic matches, the Run for the Rams, and various alumni gatherings, followed (of course!) by the homecoming dance, I thought it a good idea to send a quick (though in depth) e.mail with some accustomed details and reminders.

As we draw near to what is sure to be a successful MVS Homecoming Weekend, including the dance on Saturday evening, I want to communicate clearly and directly to you our expectations for student conduct at such school functions. The dance will be held on Saturday, 2 October at the Miami Valley Hunt & Polo Club (roughly 5-minutes from MVS), lasting from 8:00-11PM. Soda, water, and snacks will be provided at the dance. Tickets cost $20 each and can be purchased in the Upper School Commons at MVS, through Friday; tickets cannot be purchased “at the door” on Saturday night.

As a growing tradition at MVS, Homecoming has become a popular autumn event; I anticipate this year’s functions, under the careful planning of the 2011 Student Government, will be both enjoyable and successful. However, as is the case in virtually all school cultures, school dances and similar evening events also raise potential anxieties regarding student behavior, including those relating to underage drinking and substance abuses, and other at-risk behaviors. Obviously, we are all concerned about student safety, especially since students will be traveling from various distances in order to attend the homecoming dance. Throughout the year, but particularly during homecoming and prom seasons, the sad but all too common incidents that are captured in the local and national media reinforce the fragility of human life and the dangers associated with teen driving and at-risk behaviors. Such events can be devastating to any community.

If your daughter or son is planning to attend the homecoming dance (which we hope is the case!), I strongly encourage you to have honest and direct discussions with your child (as well as with his or her date and other friends) about the important topics of safety and responsible decision making, carefully reviewing their plans, your expectations, and communicating directly with other parents regarding any questions of supervision that might arise. As a school, MVS will not tolerate any student drinking or substance abuse before or during the homecoming dance; we will be vigilant in our monitoring of student conduct. If students feel compelled to engage in such at-risk activities, they should simply avoid attending school functions entirely. Any student, whom chaperones suspect to be under the influence, will be sent home from the event; we will phone you, as the parent, to come pick them up from the dance. Believe me, this is a potentially awkward and very serious situation that no one wants to participate in.

Chaperones (me included), who agree to work for the benefit of students in supporting school events (without whom, there simply would be no homecoming dance), will use their best judgment in assessing student conduct; however, these decisions will be at the sole discretion of faculty chaperones and me. I encourage you to be very candid with your daughter or son in your conversations surrounding alcohol or potential at-risk behavior, as well as with the parents of your child’s friends, should you have any concerns regarding student gatherings, before or after the homecoming dance. Obviously, any violation of the alcohol and drug policy at or around an MVS event may result in serious consequences, up to and including suspension or expulsion. My hope is that through active discussion, transcending home and school, such matters can be avoided entirely, thus allowing everyone at the dance to enjoy the event as it is intended.

In the interests of ensuring student safety, students will not be allowed to leave from the homecoming dance before its conclusion (11:PM) without first contacting you directly. All students are to arrive at the dance by 9:30PM. If any student arrives late to, or asks to leave early from the dance, we will have him or her first phone you directly. Students will not be permitted to re-enter the dance after they have departed. Students are expected to cooperate fully with chaperones and staff members at the dance; attendance at the homecoming dance is a privilege, not a right. We look forward to enjoying these activities with the students; however, in the interest of student safety, we will be vigilant in monitoring student conduct.

A great deal of work has gone into planning for Homecoming Weekend, on the part of students, parents, faculty members, and administrators. We will do our very best to create an environment that will be safe and enjoyable for everyone; I am confident the students will have a great time! Again, as partners in the essential support of MVS students, please encourage your child (and her or his peers) to use sound judgment in ensuring that Homecoming is a wonderful, enjoyable, and safe night for all involved. Should you have any specific questions regarding the details of homecoming dance, feel free to contact Bryan Lakatos (advisor to the Student Government) or me.

With sincere regards,


Sam Wagner
Head of Upper School