We've done 2 dances a year for the past couple yeras. One around Halloween and the kids get to wear their costumes (since they no longer get to at school) and one around valentines day.
We hire a DJ for it - and he does games, etc in the gym. We serve pizza/pop in the cafeteria.
For the most part the parents socialize in the cafeteria and the kids go wild in the gym.
Our school held a Family Sweetheart Dance the Friday night after Valentine’s Day. Flyers were sent home and the dance was mentioned during the morning school announcements. The teachers decorated the room with the Valentine decorations used earlier in the week throughout the school and classrooms. The admission price was $3 per person and children under 5 were free. We brought Polaroid film and created picture holders using cardstock, a heart stamp and a silver inkpad. A few of the parents volunteered to be the photographer and the families paid $5 for a memento photograph. . The PTA sold refreshments: sodas and bottled water, pizza, chips. We hired a DJ for $250 and at one point in the evening the kids had to dance with their parent/grandparent/guardian. Everyone that attended received a piece of chocolate candy. Many of the family came dressed to the nines. The families had a good time, which was the most important thing, and the PTA raised a few hundred dollars as well.
Our PTO has sponsored a Sock Hop for several years, but it started to get too wild (too many poorly supervised kids) and families were ready for something new.
So, we switched to a Bingo Night. It is way less work and a far better FAMILY night since the kids actually sit with their parents for a couple of hours rather than run all over the school. It's good for all ages, even Grandparents. We provide a simple dinner, about 1 1/2 hours of games, and a few door prizes. The teachers volunteer to take turns calling numbers. Clean up is a breeze, and everyone is home by 9:30 - even the committee!
I guess I just didn't know how to do it. And since they said it could be changed, I thought I might offer to do some thing I do know how to do. But now that I've been thinking about it, I might figure it out.
Our group seems to have an issue with handing over complicated projects to people who don't know what's expected without much support.
I don't see why you have to change it. You should be able to find another DJ that would donate their time. Then put together a new committee to oversee the dance. You'd have to put together a committee to oversee a new activity. Why would it be any different?
Not all events are successful but you know this one is and popular too.
Do you have any ideas to keep it alive?
