School districts across Tennessee Valley announce prom plans

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WAFF) - A night of dancing, pictures and that perfect dress.

Prom season is just around the corner, but after getting cancelled last year, will schools in the Valley be holding traditional proms?

It turns out there are a lot of different approaches to prom this year. Some districts are going with the traditional route, some are hosting an event with no dancing, and we’ve learned at least one district has decided not to have prom at all.

Madison City is still on the fence, leaving many parents and students anxiously waiting.

For some, it’s just a night of dancing, but parents tell us the tradition means so much more.

“A lot of people would look at it and say, ‘boo-hoo, it’s just a prom,’ but I think it’s deeper than that. These kids have sacrificed so much already,” Grigsby said.

Teri Grigsby‘s son is a senior at James Clemens High School in the Madison City Schools District, one district in the Valley that hasn’t released any prom plans.

“If you can send everyone back to school, why can’t they be together for a prom in the gymnasium? Like it makes no sense. We’ve already said if they don’t give us a prom, we’ll have a prom, we’ll host a prom somewhere else,” Grigsby said.

But Grigsby says she hopes it doesn’t come to that, and the district hosts a safe event.

These are the districts we’ve heard from that do plan to host prom.

Limestone County High Schools
Jackson County Schools
Huntsville City Schools
Madison County Schools (with no dancing)
Muscle Shoals High School (with no dancing)

“We want to give our students every opportunity to experience everything they can while they’re in high school. We feel as long as we can take the necessary measures, that we’ll be ok,” says Jamie Darwin, principal of Woodville High School.

Private schools in the Valley are also announcing plans.

John Paul II Catholic High School will hold a prom night at Topgolf, with some dancing.

“We are able to hold prom because our students adhere to the guidelines, they’ve been with us in person since august. And the students want this and they’re willing to do the work to make prom 2021 happen,” Dean of student life for John Paul II, Michelle Whetstone.

A representative from Morgan County Schools tell us all the leadership at all five high schools has decided not to hold an event.

We will be sure to let you know when other plans are released.