Important Information on Winterfest
Please read the attached letter to parents
Dear Upper School Parents,
You probably have already heard from your sons and daughters that Winterfest is coming soon. For those of you who are new to this event, Winterfest is a semi-formal dance held at an off-campus site. This year Winterfest will occur on Saturday, February 1 from 8-11 pm at the Parkside Mansion in Denver (1859 York St.). The sophomore class officers and Ms. Zinn have been working on this event, and it will no doubt be a wonderful social occasion for our entire student body; all grades are welcome to attend. The sophomore advisory team, along with Deans Judy Zinn and Steven Hammer, School Counselor Liza Skipwith, and I will be the chaperones at this dance. The dance theme will be Silver Screen Soiree, and we have contracted with a DJ to provide the music.
Typically, although the doors are open by 8:00, the dance begins in earnest around 8:30. Students arriving before then will certainly be welcome but may feel a little awkward until a “critical mass” arrives. Conversely, we would like everyone who plans to attend to arrive NO LATER THAN 9:30. The doors may be closed to them if they arrive after that. (If something beyond the student’s control occurs and their arrival will be later than expected, they should contact one of the chaperones at the event site.)
There is a longstanding “Sadie Hawkins” tradition of girls asking boys to this dance, which can sometimes create social drama among the student body. In the end, the majority of students end up going in groups anyway, so any student who wishes to attend should join a group or create his or her own. In terms of accepting offers to the dance, we encourage everyone to be as thoughtful and kind to each other as possible. Some students may wish to avoid the date aspect altogether and go in same-sex groups or “dateless” in order to enjoy the dance without other social pressures. As for transportation, some students (or, more accurately, parents) opt to rent limos or other vehicles. This is certainly not an expectation, nor the standard for the event. Many students come in private cars, and younger students are often dropped off and picked up by parents.
Inevitably, some events will be planned before and/or after Winterfest. Most students do choose to have dinner out with their date or in a group. You should know that CA is not sponsoring any of these activities, so we would strongly encourage you to ask your students about their plans and then contact any other parents with whom your son or daughter is traveling or who may be hosting events at their homes. I encourage you to have a good conversation with your student(s) before the dance; make sure you are clear about where they will be and with whom. We have had some issues in the past with students making poor decisions in regards to behavior. If any student is caught with drugs or alcohol, or it is found that they came to the dance having been using, there will be serious disciplinary action, and indeed the whole fate of Prom may be jeopardized by such behavior. Please help us to help your children to make the safe and legal choices on this night.
If you have any questions or concerns about this event, please call me or Judy Zinn. We would be happy to discuss it further with you.
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