March 2006

Dear Parent/Guardian of a GHS Junior and/or Senior,

The prom is quickly coming upon us and there are some items I would like to cover with you. I ask that you discuss these items with your son/daughter.

The prom - A Dream Come True - will be held at Higgins Hall at St. Lawrence Catholic Church at the Southeast corner of Hillsborough Avenue and Himes Avenue in Tampa on Saturday, April 29, from 8:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Tickets will go on sale soon. The cost will be $50 per person through April 7. The price will be increased each week thereafter ending with a cost of $60 per person the week of the prom. Hors d'oeuvres and soft drinks are included in the ticket price. Students are encouraged to buy early! Note: If you child's name is on the NoGo List he/she may not purchase a ticket. If you are not aware of the NoGo List please check with your child for information. Additionally, those who are not allowed to attend the prom due to attendance issues will be notified in writing. This policy has been widely promulgated since September. Because exclusion is based upon absences all students must be sure they have not exceeded the allowable number. Dr. Judy Gallagher, Assistant Principal, will be working on this issue.

Dress for this event is formal. Boys are to wear nice suits or sport coats (with tie) or a tuxedo. Girls are to wear nice dresses or other appropriate wear (i.e. slack outfits). Bare midriffs, overly revealing neck lines, and bare backs are not acceptable. Length must be appropriate (as outlined in the school dress code).

Photo ID (School ID - which does not need to be worn :-) or other photo identification) is required for admission. Students who leave the prom may not reenter. Students and guests are not allowed to remain in vehicles parked at the prom site. Security for this event is very tight. We will have our own School Resource Officer, Cpl. Tim Spitzer, as well as Tampa Police on duty for the evening. The school strongly discourages putting students into problematic situations by the renting of motel and hotel rooms for this event.

We want this event to stand out as enjoyable for everyone. All school rules will be in effect for everyone in attendance. If, for any reason, your son/daughter is not allowed to enter the prom or is asked to leave early we will make every effort to contact you using the school's clinic cards as our source for phone numbers. If your child's card is not up-to-date, please update it as soon as possible.

A change for this year will be that voting for prom queen and king will take place at the prom. This will insure that those students who are truly interested in the prom have control over who is selected. All voting will take place prior to 10:30 P.M.

I would like to thank the Junior Class sponsors, Mrs. Jennifer Fugate and Mrs. Samantha Murchie, for all of their work. The student committee has been working hard to be sure the prom is a fun memory for everyone. I thank them for their work. If you would like to volunteer to be a chaperone for this wonderful event, please call Mrs. Murchie (774-3300). Being at the prom is a great experience! We would love to have you participate. We need about 30 parent chaperones.

Sincerely,
Thomas E. Imerson
Principal

Note: This letter is being sent to GHS juniors and seniors only. If your child is going to the prom with someone other than a GHS junior or senior, please share this information with that person and their parents.