Hopkinton High School principal Evan Bishop informed students and families this week that the junior prom would not be held this spring, and instead the Class of 2022 will have a prom in May of next year.
Bishop also emailed families of seniors to say administrators are working on some outdoor activities, including a car parade, which was well-received when it was held for last year’s graduating class.
In the letter to the junior families, Bishop explained the decision behind postponing the prom.
“It’s worth noting that we would have had to make certain concessions in order to hold a junior prom this year, even if schools are back to full in-person learning by then,” Bishop wrote in a Feb. 24 email also attributed to class advisors Renee Hilbrunner and Samantha Breen. “The venue had already reached out to us about restricting guest count, such as not allowing students to invite guests. When we talked to the class officers about this, they felt that moving it to next year was the only way to preserve the tradition without compromising the experience. We hope that by next spring, things will be back to some sense of normalcy and we will be able to celebrate and enjoy prom in a traditional way/setting. We did consider a potential fall 2021 prom, but ultimately, the prom committee preferred to keep the prom a spring event.
“We know how much time and effort the prom committee, the post-prom committee, and many other groups and individuals have invested into the preparation for the prom. We want to assure you that our decision was not made lightly and we want to respect and honor the work that you have done so far. We also understand that this date may present new challenges for us. However, the administration and staff are going to do everything within our power to address those concerns and to make sure that we provide the Class of 2022 with a meaningful and memorable prom experience.
“While we acknowledge the disappointment of this decision, we also feel a senior prom offers a potentially new and exciting opportunity. This will be the first senior prom in Hopkinton’s history and we can’t imagine a better class to take on this new change, and all of the other changes that continue to come our way. Thank you for understanding and for your resilience over the past year.”
Meanwhile, the senior class, which missed out on its prom entirely, will have a variety of events — all outside — assuming plans come to fruition. Among them are: Food Truck Fridays (March 19 and May 14), a 50 Nights to Graduation celebration on April 15, the graduation car parade (sometime in May) and a Senior Awards Gala Ceremony (sometime in June).
The last school day for seniors is May 26. Graduation, to be held at David Hughes Stadium (the HHS football field), is June 4, and Senior Recognition/Scholarship Night will be the evening before graduation, likely to be held virtually.
