Student representatives
win early dismissal for prom
By:John Patten
After spending most of the morning waiting to meet with Superintendent of Schools Karen Lake, two senior class representatives won a concession for students planning to attend Friday night’s prom.
Senior Class President Gwen Prowse and Student Council President Lauren Singer lobbied on behalf of the seniors who’d made plans to use time Friday for prom preparations, after school officials made class attendance mandatory following today’s school closing due to more threats found at the school.
School officials said students attending the prom will be able to be excused at 1 p.m. Friday.
The contingent of Hillsborough High School students and their parents had protested outside the windows of the school district offices Thursday morning.
The students were mostly seniors at the school who have planned on having Friday free to prepare for the senior prom, but will have to attend school under an edict issued by HHS Principal Karen Bingert mandating attendance. The group started at about 8 a.m., with 50 students and their parents.
"There’s really two issues here," parent Rudy Smartt said. "There’s the question of why more hasn’t been done before but a more immediate concern about tomorrow."
The parents said they felt the decision to close school and require students to attend Friday which was scheduled as an in-service day for staff, giving the students the day off was a "knee-jerk reaction."
Parent Dian Stein said the students hoped to convince the school administration to allow seniors to make the day up at another time or be excused from classes. Ms. Stein noted the school wants to be sure enough students attend to have the day count as an instructional day, and so must have a majority of students attend.
To read the letter posted on the district Web site from HHS Principal Karen Bingert, click here: http://www.hillsborough.k12.nj.us/hillsborough/cwp/view.asp?A=3&Q=285253