Dear Prom Attendees and Parents, it is with great sadness and solemn responsibility that I announce to you that we have decided to cancel the Homeschool Prom 2020. When we began planning this prom in 2019 we could never have imagined the state the world would be in today. We have tried with resilience to overcome each circumstance COVID-19 and the restrictions around it threw our way. We moved dates we worked with the venue the florist the food and participants to still be able to bring kids a prom. We wanted to give the kids who have been through this year some sort of normalcy even if that meant having the prom after many of them were done with school.
When we had replanned the prom for this date in June we were hoping to see the world turned mostly back to normal. We spent three months in quarantine and hopefully the disease would have laid dormant long enough that it was no longer a point of concern. However, this is not the world we are living in today as the should have been second prom date so closely approaches. We feel as a committee that it would not be fair for anyone to hold this prom in the manner the state is requiring. We feel deeply that it would be unsafe to hold the prom the cases of COVID-19 in Texas have been steadily on the rise. Within our own circles we have known several families who have come back with positive COVID-19 test results. There have been people who at some point planned to come to this prom who cannot come because they now are showing positive COVID-19 results. With symptoms laying dormant for long periods of time and us being merely a group of parents who wanted to present the homeschool community with a prom we feel as if there is no way we can safely handle this scenario.
If we were to hopefully and falsely presume that everyone coming had not been around anyone with COVID-19 whether or not they were aware of it and that absolutely no one is sick we feel as if there is no way we sixteen chaperones could keep masks on 150 kids. There is no way we could keep eyes on every single kid to ensure they had their masks on at all times. It takes sixteen of us to make sure that no one is coming in and out of the parking lot, or sneaking away, or even making sure they are keeping their shirts on while on the dance floor. Making sure that we keep 150 kids in mask just would not be viable. We understand keeping masks on is uncomfortable. As adults we do not enjoy having them on. We find it hard to breathe in them just to go to the grocery store, or do something as simple as getting your nails done. We cannot imagine having to wear them while dancing the night away.
If the only requirement for us to continue to have prom was for us to make sure everyone had a mask that is a huge requirement within itself. However, that is not the only condition we would be required to have. We would have to ensure that any group that came together did not interact with anyone else. That means if your kid was coming by themselves to prom we would have to make sure they could not hang around anyone else. They could not ask someone to dance. They could not get within six feet of someone else dancing. That does not really sound like prom does it? The more we looked at requirements the more we realized we were not able to present you prom. We were not able to give those kids who have been through so much this year that small sense of normalcy a dance might be able to give them. All we would be able to give you is an event filled with masks that required any kid that did not come with a group to stand six feet apart from everyone else while music played in background. That was not an event I believed could replace prom, and was not event that was even safe at this point.
As a mother of a senior and a junior who currently have two dresses newly bought and altered hanging in their closet, and I was getting my girl’s nails done for prom as Judge Jeff Branick issued his order it absolutely breaks my heart to announce we are canceling prom. However the heartbreak would be multiplied a hundred times more if I knew any one of the kids who came got COVID-19 from a prom that I was putting on. We have exhausted every possibility to be able to hold this event and for everyones safety we have decided it is best to cancel it. We will be issuing refunds to everyone on the card the tickets were purchased on. We are also offering to allow any 2020 seniors to attend prom 2021. Please stay safe and stay healthy. We will see you all next year Lord willing and if the creek don’t rise (and COVID-19 goes away)
When we had replanned the prom for this date in June we were hoping to see the world turned mostly back to normal. We spent three months in quarantine and hopefully the disease would have laid dormant long enough that it was no longer a point of concern. However, this is not the world we are living in today as the should have been second prom date so closely approaches. We feel as a committee that it would not be fair for anyone to hold this prom in the manner the state is requiring. We feel deeply that it would be unsafe to hold the prom the cases of COVID-19 in Texas have been steadily on the rise. Within our own circles we have known several families who have come back with positive COVID-19 test results. There have been people who at some point planned to come to this prom who cannot come because they now are showing positive COVID-19 results. With symptoms laying dormant for long periods of time and us being merely a group of parents who wanted to present the homeschool community with a prom we feel as if there is no way we can safely handle this scenario.
If we were to hopefully and falsely presume that everyone coming had not been around anyone with COVID-19 whether or not they were aware of it and that absolutely no one is sick we feel as if there is no way we sixteen chaperones could keep masks on 150 kids. There is no way we could keep eyes on every single kid to ensure they had their masks on at all times. It takes sixteen of us to make sure that no one is coming in and out of the parking lot, or sneaking away, or even making sure they are keeping their shirts on while on the dance floor. Making sure that we keep 150 kids in mask just would not be viable. We understand keeping masks on is uncomfortable. As adults we do not enjoy having them on. We find it hard to breathe in them just to go to the grocery store, or do something as simple as getting your nails done. We cannot imagine having to wear them while dancing the night away.
If the only requirement for us to continue to have prom was for us to make sure everyone had a mask that is a huge requirement within itself. However, that is not the only condition we would be required to have. We would have to ensure that any group that came together did not interact with anyone else. That means if your kid was coming by themselves to prom we would have to make sure they could not hang around anyone else. They could not ask someone to dance. They could not get within six feet of someone else dancing. That does not really sound like prom does it? The more we looked at requirements the more we realized we were not able to present you prom. We were not able to give those kids who have been through so much this year that small sense of normalcy a dance might be able to give them. All we would be able to give you is an event filled with masks that required any kid that did not come with a group to stand six feet apart from everyone else while music played in background. That was not an event I believed could replace prom, and was not event that was even safe at this point.
As a mother of a senior and a junior who currently have two dresses newly bought and altered hanging in their closet, and I was getting my girl’s nails done for prom as Judge Jeff Branick issued his order it absolutely breaks my heart to announce we are canceling prom. However the heartbreak would be multiplied a hundred times more if I knew any one of the kids who came got COVID-19 from a prom that I was putting on. We have exhausted every possibility to be able to hold this event and for everyones safety we have decided it is best to cancel it. We will be issuing refunds to everyone on the card the tickets were purchased on. We are also offering to allow any 2020 seniors to attend prom 2021. Please stay safe and stay healthy. We will see you all next year Lord willing and if the creek don’t rise (and COVID-19 goes away)
2020 UPDATE REGARDING COVID19
We would like to update all of you on the necessary changes concerning prom. In our best efforts to keep all attendees, family members, and the community at large safe, we will be following the guidelines suggested by the CDC. These guidelines suggest all group gatherings be postponed for eight weeks. In accordance we have moved the date of the prom outside of the suggested eight week window.
In coordination with the venue and all contracted vendors, we have moved the date of prom to June 27, 2020 at 7:00 pm. The location will continue to be at the Clifton Steamboat Museum; 8727 Hwy 124; Beaumont, TX 77705.
Like many events that have been postponed and canceled as of late, we realize these changes may be inconvenient. We also realize that this date may conflict with already scheduled events. If this date is a conflict for you, please contact us via the facebook page on messenger.
We would like to update all of you on the necessary changes concerning prom. In our best efforts to keep all attendees, family members, and the community at large safe, we will be following the guidelines suggested by the CDC. These guidelines suggest all group gatherings be postponed for eight weeks. In accordance we have moved the date of the prom outside of the suggested eight week window.
In coordination with the venue and all contracted vendors, we have moved the date of prom to June 27, 2020 at 7:00 pm. The location will continue to be at the Clifton Steamboat Museum; 8727 Hwy 124; Beaumont, TX 77705.
Like many events that have been postponed and canceled as of late, we realize these changes may be inconvenient. We also realize that this date may conflict with already scheduled events. If this date is a conflict for you, please contact us via the facebook page on messenger.
2020 - Save the Date!
2020 will be the 8th Annual Southeast Texas Homeschool Prom! This event was started in 2012 by homeschool moms wanting to give their teens an opportunity to attend a formal dance.
This event is planned and executed strictly by volunteers; therefore, any help we can get from parents and students is greatly appreciated. Please see the FAQ section for a list of volunteer opportunities.
All money from ticket sales goes towards the organization and implementation of the dance.
2020's event will take place April 4, 2020 at the Clifton Steamboat Museum in Beaumont. Event time is 7:00-11:00 pm. UPDATE: JUNE 27, 2020 AT 7:00 PM.
Registration will begin on February 1, 2020. The price of each ticket purchased is $25. Ticket sales are open from February 1 - April 1, or until the maximum number of participants is reached. No tickets will be sold after April 1st. Due to venue size, there will be a cap of 250 attendees this year.