Home Schoolers Will Attend Junior Prom
 | Author:
Nancy Marks
Nancy Marks: MT43 News Secretary and News Editor |
Home Schoolers Will Attend Junior Prom Nancy Marks School District #1 board members voted unanimously to allow homeschooled students to attend dances held at Broadwater High School. The board approved a policy allowing a student within the age requirement who is enrolled in a school program to attend formal dances held at Broadwater High School. The application must be signed by a parent or guardian and must be approved by Principal Sheri Heavrin.
The vote came after an extended and thoughtful discussion of the issue listed in Policy 3510 of the school regulations. At a previous meeting, High School Principal Heavrin pointed out how difficult it is to supervise students she does not know and who have no qualified adult such as a principal in another school to vouch for them.
Both Board Chairman Jason Noyes and Superintendent Susie Hedalen pointed out a two-part problem of inclusion of all students or limiting dance attendance only to Broadwater High School students. “We go either from no guests to all students who are certified by our principal. That puts all the responsibility on her,” she explained.
Board Member Todd Olson said another part of the equation was about the newly codified state legislative ruling that allowed non-enrolled students to participate in extracurricular activities such as sanctioned sports and theater productions. “Nowhere in the law does it actually define extracurricular activities as social activities such as dances. So it is up to this board to change the policy,” he explained.
Both teachers and the public raised questions about older, out-of-school people attending, and about students who had quit school, but were getting their education online. High School teacher, Laura Ascheman, suggested the policy limit attendance to only high school students who live in the School District.
“Our kids have to follow the rules at social activities. We don’t have control over kids we don’t know. It’s about respect for teachers, coaches and principals. If there is trouble with a non-enrolled student, we have no control if we can’t go to a principal in another school,” she said.
Student Body President Will Lynde said he had talked to his classmates and his take is that the students want homeschoolers to attend the dances. “We are friends with many of the homeschoolers in the county. It really comes down to personal responsibility, which we feel they (the homeschoolers) will follow.” He continued that athletic coaches give permission for non-enrolled students to participate in football, tennis etc., so the policy surrounding dances should not penalize students because of past bad actors.
Jeannie Steele suggested that the board modify the policy to reflect any high school student may attend dances with prior permission.
