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School Dances
BHS holds several dances each year in the school Cafeteria. Typically the dances are sponsored by a club or one of the classes to raise money for events, travel and trips. Scheduling depends on the students coming forward and organizing the event.

The dances:

• Usually run from 8 pm to 11 pm.
• Cost $5 at the door (sometimes more as a special fundraiser).
• Are chaperoned by an Administrator, 2 women faculty, and 2 men faculty.

Parents need to be conscious of the rules for the dances:

• Dances are for BHS students only; no friends or family members.
• No one will be admitted to school dances after 9:15.
• Once a student leaves they will not be readmitted.
• Students may be asked to leave the dance for unacceptable behavior. Parents will not be called unless the student demonstrates at-risk behavior.
• As with all school activities, there is a zero tolerance attitude regarding tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. See the Student/Parent Handbook for detailsof the school policy.

Dress for the dances is casual and “tasteful” attire is appreciated by the chaperones and administration.

Semi-Formal
The Semi-Formal is held in January or February as a fundraiser run by the combined Junior and Senior classes. The date will be announced in school and via the eNewsletter.

The Semi-Formal is held off-site, and is chaperoned by BHS faculty and administrators. Tickets are about $20 each and are sold in the Cafeteria at lunch the week before. Only snacks and drinks are available so the students frequently have dinner first in groups at one home or at a restaurant.

Students dress up but it is not as dressy as the Proms. The young women usually wear short cocktail dresses and the young men wear suits, not tuxedos. As with the Proms, boutonnieres and corsages are common.

Any Junior or Senior who brings a BHS freshman or sophomore or a non-BHS student as a date must fill out a form in the Student Office in advance. No Middle School students are allowed to attend the dance.

Even though the semi-formal is not held at the school, there is a zero tolerance policy regarding tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. See the Student/Parent Handbook for details of the school policy.

Junior Prom
The Junior Prom is held off-site annually in May from 8:00 pm – 12:00 am. See the calendar in the Student/Parent Handbook.

Tickets are about $30 but the actual price will be determined by the amount of funds the class has raised. Classes with less money in their treasury will need to charge more per ticket. Dress is very formal. The gentlemen wear tuxedos (reserve well in advance) and the ladies wear long formal gowns. The gentlemen typically order corsages for their dates and the ladies order boutonnieres for their escorts. Food is offered at the Prom but it is not dinner. Traditionally, Juniors and their dates go out to dinner and show up at the Junior Prom for dancing afterwards.

Juniors may invite BHS students in any other grade or from outside BHS but must fill out a form in the Student Office in advance.

The week before the Prom, Juniors nominate a Prom Court and the faculty Class Advisors tally the votes. The King and Queen are selected by the faculty chaperones and administration from the list of finalists and they are crowned at the dance.

Formal pictures of the beautifully dressed attendees are taken by Burlington Studios. Photos must be paid for on the night of the prom with cash or a check. Order forms are distributed to students at school.

As with the Semi-Formal, there is a zero tolerance policy regarding tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. See the Student/Parent Handbook for details of the school policy.

Senior Prom
The Senior Prom is a formal dinner-dance held on the Tuesday before graduation and runs until midnight. See the calendar section of the Student/Parent Handbook. Tickets include dinner and a DJ and are about $35-$45 each. The cost of the tickets will actually be determined by the amount of money the Senior class has in its treasury.

The Prom is held at a site selected by the Senior class officers and is chaperoned by the Principal and Assistant Principal, the class advisors, and sometimes by additional invited faculty members. Once again, attendees may invite non-Seniors with advance permission and are expected to honor the school policies in the Student/Parent Handbook.

The Senior Prom is THE culminating formal affair and long gowns, tuxedos, corsages and boutonnieres are de rigueur. Limos are optional but typical. As with the Junior Prom, a Senior Prom Court is voted on and the Queen and King are selected by the faculty and administration. The crowning of the Queen and King and their dance are long-held traditions of the Prom.

Burlington Studios take informal photos on request at the Prom and a slightly more formal group picture of the Prom attendees. Students must bring a check or cash to pay for the photos at the event. No additional information is sent home to parents but posters describing the photo packages are posted throughout the school during the weeks leading up to the Senior finals.

Some words of advice. If your student is making hair appointments, nail appointments, hair cut appointments, etc. for prom night, remember the Senior Prom Stroll begins around 4:30 PM so appointments should be made for early in the day.

Limousine reservations should be made well in advance, and the driver warned that traffic into Bedford requires considerable extra time due to the Prom Stroll.

Senior Prom Stroll
Traditionally, the Senior Prom Stroll precedes the Prom. Everyone is invited—parents, grandparents, siblings, family, friends, and the people of Bedford.

Seniors and their dates gather at the Town Common (or the high school gym in case of inclement weather) and the community turns out to admire these young men and women in their finest garb and take thousands of pictures. The Chamber of Commerce also takes a group picture and copies of this picture can be ordered that evening. Payment is due that evening.

The Bedford High School Parent Association usually hosts a post Prom Stroll reception for parents and families immediately following the Stroll.

Parking is a major problem. It is easier to park at the town hall, library, or high school and walk over.