While the fight between Ontario’s teachers and the provincial government has meant the end of many extracurricular activities, the Peel District School Board is ensuring its students will still get a prom.
The school district is the only one in the Greater Toronto Area to take a board-wide initiative to save the annual year-end event.
Peel District has told its 34 high schools to go ahead with planning their proms, saying all senior staff will pitch in to help supervise if teachers decide not to take part in organizing and supervising.
“We will be enlisting volunteers of neighbouring schools and neighbouring colleague principals and vice principals, and indeed people like me and people here at the central board office,” associate director of the Peel District School Board Scott Moreash said.
Students in Peel are thrilled.
“It’s that one night I have to live up to, because I see it in all the movies,” said one female student.
Proms require teachers to help plan far in advance of the event, as well as help supervise the event itself.
It’s unclear if proms will go ahead at Toronto-area high schools outside Peel.
Toronto District School Board trustee Kouroush Houshmand said students deserve to have the event, and said he may put forward a motion so the TDSB follows suit.
“I think all boards should be following in (Peel’s) direction,” he said.
With a report by CTV’s Naomi Parness
