Prom plans take shape in Alle-Kiski Valley school districts

Proms will take on a different look for Alle-Kiski Valley high schools this spring as the pandemic continues to complicate plans for most group gatherings.

But that doesn’t matter for students who are just glad to see prom still being held.

“I’m really happy overall that we get to have one this year. It was iffy for a while,” said Kiski Area School District junior Miranda Weightman.

While Weightman will get to attend a prom this spring, unlike last year, the event will be far from traditional. Kiski Area is one of several Valley districts that opted not to sanction or sponsor prom this year.

Instead, in those districts, parents are stepping in to organize the events.

Parent-run proms

Gina Bollinger of Allegheny Township, who has a senior at Kiski Area, volunteered to organize the district’s unofficial prom. Scheduled for June 4, it will be held at Lenape Heights Golf Club in Manor a day after Kiski Area’s commencement.

Bollinger and about five other parents are handling prom preparations, along with students from the senior class committee.

“We’re capping the event at 375 students. These kids have missed out on every single ounce of senior opportunity this year, and they deserve a normal prom,” Bollinger said, noting about 450 students normally attend Kiski Area’s prom.

Bollinger said students attending prom will be required to sign a covid and liability waiver.

“We parents said we needed that,” Bollinger said. “It’s a goal to hire a security guard for the added presence of a security officer.”

Bollinger said she hosted Kiski Area’s unofficial homecoming dance last fall as well, and it went off without incident.

“About 200 students are attending (prom) so far, but we have weeks until the event. It’s been difficult getting the word out to all of the students,” Bollinger said, adding a Facebook page called Kiski Area Class of 2021-2022 Prom has been created to share event info.

Freeport Area is also having a parent-run prom.

In a previous interview with the Trib, Freeport Area School Board President Dan Lucovich said he’s fine with parents planning the May 7 prom at Veltre’s Wedding and Event Centre in Plum.

“We don’t have anything to do with it, but we’re not opposed to it at all,” Lucovich said. “They requested to do it, so we weren’t objecting.”

He said he felt confident students would abide by covid-19 safety guidelines.

“The kids are all familiar with everything. They know the right things to do,” Lucovich said.

Burrell High School also is having a parent-run prom. It will be held at Lingrow Farm in Gilpin, with an “Enchanted Forest” theme.

“We are doing this for all of the seniors to have a fun, lasting memory,” said parent Kathy McLafferty, of Lower Burrell. “They have missed out on so much this year. The school has not held any of the senior activities and events they normally do.”

Lingrow Farm has an outdoor deck, which will allow more students to choose to be outside.

“We want the students to feel comfortable,” McLafferty said.

The Burrell promenade and introduction of the seniors will also be held outdoors with a road separating students and parents who want to view the promenade, McLafferty said.

Among pandemic restrictions for the event, students will be required to sign a waiver vouching that they have no symptoms of covid-19 and organizers will cut off attendance at about 150.

Non-traditional options

Fox Chapel Area High School is hosting a much different prom on May 8, according to district spokeswoman Bonnie Berzonski.

The event will take place outside on campus grounds, and only seniors may purchase tickets.

“I guess the tough thing about it is I won’t get an actual, traditional prom,” said senior Zane Gavazzi, who’s never attended a prom. “I will miss going downtown and having dinner.”

Berzonski said each senior can purchase a guest ticket that extends to other district students or a date from another school. The event will include a meal, dancing, contests and other activities.

Berzonski said plans are moving forward based on current covid-19 safety guidelines, but “are subject to change.”

Apollo-Ridge School District’s May 28 prom will be Hawaiian luau-themed. The district will spruce up some tennis courts for a roomy event filled with tropical flavor and music, said Emily Mitchell, a learning support teacher and a prom sponsor. In the event of rain, the festivities will be moved inside to the high school where there is a large space to socially distance the students, she said.

“I think prom is important to the students because it’s a night we can all just relax and have fun with our friends,” said Katherine Myers, of North Apollo, secretary of the junior class and prom committee. Prom “is a very nice reward after a long year of hard work. It’s so much fun to get dressed up to eat and dance, and everyone feels like they are the star of their own show.”

Plum High School principal Joe Fishell said guests from other districts will be welcomed at the June 17 event. The district selected the Omni William Penn Hotel as the venue and all CDC guidelines will be followed.

Altered plans

Riverview School District is cutting their prom time in half, with a two-hour dinner replacing their traditional four-hour dance.

The May 7 event will take place at Oakmont Country Club with an “Enchanted Forest” theme — the same theme from last year’s canceled event.

Riverview senior Beth Shoop’s parents helped to reserve the venue. They are members of the country club.

Club staff will serve the food to minimize students walking around and people will be limited to six per table instead of the usual 12.

“We took everything that we had set up for last prom and adapted to our situation now,” said Jake Killmeyer, a senior class officer. “We still have the same supplies, same decorations. It’s all about making it safer.”

Shayle Prorok, a Leechburg Area High School prom adviser and teacher, said many traditional activities aren’t happening at this year’s prom on May 8 at Futules’ Harmar House in Cheswick. There will be no photo booth or hypnotist entertainment, because organizers want to avoid situations in which students can cram together, sharing props or taking off their masks.

Slow dancing also is a no-go, replaced by socially distant dancing. The usual Grand March, in which students are formally announced to the public, will be livestreamed.

“I’m hoping that even though it’s going to look different, the kids will still enjoy themselves because of what they didn’t get to have last year, when there was nothing, ” Prorok said.

Highlands High School will host a seniors-only prom May 15 at the Syria Shriners Center in Harmar. Jennifer Goldberg, Highlands communications coordinator, said final details are still being worked out.

Goldberg said no guests are permitted and the evening will include dinner, dancing and activities. Social distancing and masks will be required as all times.

“This year has been crazy. I didn’t expect to get one and just the fact that we have something is amazing. I’ll take whatever I can get at this point,” said Highlands senior Austin Burchell.

At Springdale Jr.-Sr. High School, Principal Andy Leviski said he feels “absolutely fantastic” that the students are going to have a prom.

The four-hour prom will be held on May 23 aboard the Gateway Clipper.

“Last year was hard,” Leviski said. “Our kids put a lot of time and effort into planning a prom which wasn’t able to be executed and with things opening back up, to be able to do this for our kids is absolutely what they deserve.”

Live music has been scrapped, but recorded music will be played and dinner tables will be six-feet apart and Leviski said the main focus of the evening will be to try and give the students some sense of normalcy.

My hope is that it’s like the proms we’ve always been used to. That’s what I’m going to hold out hope for,” Leviski said.

Deer Lakes High School prom goers will take a walk on the wild side and celebrate their prom outdoors at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium on May 20.

Prom organizer Mary DeLuca said students can expect a buffet dinner, virtual reality machine, caricature artist, DJ, and line dancing instead of slow dancing during the event.

Students will be able to wander zoo paths from an outdoor garden tent.

“It was a challenge to put together an event that would meet expectations of the students and keep them safe,” DeLuca said.