Prom plans announced

SILOAM SPRINGS — Siloam Springs High School juniors and seniors will have a school-sponsored prom this year, the school announced last week.

Prom is scheduled for 8 to 11 p.m. April 17 in the school cafeteria, according to a letter from administrators.

“Our biggest concern was our seniors have lost a lot of traditions in senior year due to covid,” said Assistant Principal Ross White.

The event is especially important this year because last year’s juniors missed out on the 2020 prom due to the

covid-19 pandemic, White said. Administrators felt the best course of action was to host a prom with restrictions in place, he said.

The School District’s covid-19 policies will still be in place for this year’s prom, the letter states. However, students attending together will be considered a family unit for the evening so they will be able to be closer than 6 feet and will get to dance together, it states.

Attendees will still be required to wear a mask at all times and will have their temperatures checked at the door, the letter states. No snacks other than water bottles will be provided.

The district has nearly 700 juniors and seniors and in previous years about half of them have attended prom, White said.

High School students will be able to bring one guest to prom, between the ages of 14 and 20 years old. If the guest doesn’t attend school, they will have to get approval from the school administration.

Additional details about prom are still in the works, according to Principal Rob Lindley.

The school district announced earlier this month that it plans to host an in-person graduation ceremony for the class of 2021 on May 15 in Barnhill Arena. The event will be divided into two back-toback ceremonies to limit the number of people in the arena at one time and additional covid-19 safety measures will be in place.