A parent-sponsored prom has been organized for July 17 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the Rockleigh Country Club.

“We thought to grab a day that we thought would be safe in the middle of the summer and keep our fingers crossed that things keep opening up,” senior parent Diane Zgajic said.

Jamie Caruso, Danielle McSherry, Dana Porrazzo, and Zgajic started planning the event around a month ago when district Superintendent Erik Gundersen announced that senior prom was officially cancelled in an email on May 7.

Porrazzo said the parents were first introduced to the idea when they saw other parents outside of the district organizing their own proms. The event was originally planned to begin with a graduation ceremony in the morning and a prom later that night, but it will now only be a parent-sponsored prom.

Given the circumstances, the parents are unsure of how the event will turn out following Governor Phil Murphy’s announcement on May 22 that outdoor gatherings should be limited to 25 people. The team hopes that there continues to be an escalation in gathering sizes.

“We have to wait for the governor to continue to open things up,” said McSherry. “The venue has their guidelines as well so we are working with the state to make sure that nothing we do overrides what is legal.”

Invitations for the event will soon be sent via Evite to the Class of 2020.

“I think it’s a really nice thing what the parents are doing for us to recognize the seniors who have missed out on a lot,” Senior Class President Emily Kennedy said. “The event is giving the senior class one last meaningful event together before college.”