Fifth Grade Winter Sparkle Ball

Erin came home from school a couple of weeks ago with a notice about the 5th grade Winter Sparkle Ball. I could not believe it ... a 5th grade ball?!! Talk about wanting these kids to grow up way too fast and it listed dress as semi-formal. Erin was absolutely beaming and thought this was the greatest thing in the whole entire world. I called Jonathan and he said, no way is she going. I said, well, let me get a little more information and find out exactly what it is all about. So one day when I was up at the school, I asked the secretary about it. She said this was the first she had heard about it and to ask her teacher. I said, well maybe the principal would be better, but she was out for the day. So she asked me to write down my name and phone number and someone would get back with me. I also added on the sheet of paper Erin's name and her teacher..........

Okay, so a couple of hours later I get a phone call from the secretary. She said, Ms. Ward, this is Tanya from Atoka Elementary School. I just wanted to let you know that your daughter is in 3rd grade and not 5th grade, so this dance isn't anything you need to worry about because 3rd graders aren't invited. I just stared at the phone with my mouth open. I had to think for a minute because I wanted to say, oh my goodness, you are so right! Thank you for clarifying that situation for me! And to think, this whole year I thought she was a 5th grader, but now that you bring it to my attention, I remember she really is in 3rd grade. But I didn't. No, I said slowly, I was asking for my daughter Erin WHO IS IN THE 5TH GRADE. Oh, she said, well, it is an after school event so your daughter is not required to go if you don't want her to. Again, I paused and slowly said, I understand she does not need to go to an after school function, I just wanted to get some information on what would be happening at this event.

So a couple of hours later I got another phone call from her teacher, Ms. Webb. She assured me there would not be slow dancing (hip grinding) and no dates. She also said Sunday best was very appropriate dress and they did not want anyone buying a new dress for this. It was just a fun event ... hula hoop contests, line dancing, pictures, food, etc. I told her in that case, a different name may be more appropriate such as the 5th grade sock hop, 5th grade Christmas party, anything other than the 5th grade ball. She said, I can tell you are not very comfortable with this and so would you like to chaperone? Yes, I would. It turns out that this dance, like everything else, is really just a fund raiser. They are at a new school this year (brand new school) and it seems like every time we turn around, there is another fund raiser. It is so ridiculous that they have to pay $1 to wear pajamas for pajama day and $1 to wear a silly hat for silly hat day. I know they are trying to get a playground, etc, but I really miss their old school. They had a principal with common sense who treasured childhood and was in no hurry to promote things beyond their years. I also miss their old secretary who knew every child and every family and had lots of intelligence as well as good old common sense!