Senior Class President Kiera Foster said she chose her prom dress in February, holding out hope that her senior prom would be conducted without interference from the pandemic. Months later, the senior prom was organized to be held on June 8th at the Rockleigh Country Center.

“People were buying their dresses whether we knew prom was 100% happening yet or not,” Foster said. “[When we] found out that prom was going to happen, I was so happy because I knew everyone was devastated that the junior prom was canceled [last year].”

While the Senior Prom Planning Committee first had their hearts set on the Sheraton Hotel in Mahwah, due to safety concerns, the prom’s venue was moved to the Rockleigh Country Club as an outdoor event, according to Foster.

“We wanted to make sure that we could possibly have it be outdoors with the COVID-19 restrictions and protocols,” Foster said. “The Rockleigh was where last year’s Class of 2020 [unofficial senior prom was held]. They were able to do it outdoors and had a great experience, so we did the same thing.”

Questioning the unknown, Senior Advisor Leah Jerome said that she and Co-Senior Advisor Dana Corasaniti have contemplated every possibility of how the pandemic might interfere with the prom in hopes of combating each obstacle they face.

“We have been working really hard to address and try to determine safety protocols, and negotiating contracts since the spring of last year,” Jerome said. “I don’t think people recognize the work that goes into that. You try to set up a contract that is fair to both students and the facility but you’re [also] trying to predict the unpredictable.”

With pandemic concerns in mind, Jerome and Corasaniti began planning the prom late last spring in order to promptly book a venue and sift through important details of the event.

“You always have to plan a year in advance, especially for event halls [like prom]. There’s a lot of weddings that happen on Fridays and weekends so it was important to start planning early,” Corasaniti said.

In an email sent to the senior parents, PV interim principal Glenn DeMarrais confirmed that outside guests are permitted to attend the senior prom.

The senior prom was officially confirmed on Feb. 26 via email by district Superintendent Erik Gundersen. The email stated that “regardless of limitations, we are going to work to celebrate the seniors in a meaningful way.”

For the senior class, prom will be the first time in over a year where the entire grade is altogether.

“I’m excited that we will be able to have a safe gathering of all of the seniors. I think it’s going to be great to have everybody together again to celebrate their four years at PV,” Corasaniti said. “It’s been a unique two years for [the seniors], and I’m glad that we can organize an event where everyone will get to celebrate and be together.”