WHO IS SUPERVISING THE KIDS AT THE DANCES?

What has made Blackboard Music so successful for the last decade is our staff. All of our staff has had a thorough background check and been trained to work with teenagers at events. At Blackboard Music we have over 40 people on staff as chaperones, security, event staff, entertainers and event planners. More than twenty five percent of our staff have been with the company more than ten years and another forty percent have been with the company more than five years. Blackboard Music staff consists of moms and dads just like you, college students and people that love working with kids. One of our core company philosophies is that we try to treat all the teens that come to our events as if they were one of our kid’s friends. As a parent you know the feeling of being responsible for kids that stay at your house and that is how we feel about all the kids that come to our events. We are not their parents but while they are at our events we are responsible for them.

WHAT GOES ON AT MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCES?

The dances are a safe, fun, supervised place for middle school kids to dance, play video games, watch movies but, for the most part, just hang out. At every dance we enforce a code of conduct and a dress code. Each and every participant that enters the dance is screened by security for inappropriate items. Kids are not allowed to leave the dances until a parent comes inside and checks them out of the dance.

ARE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCES APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR CHILD?

Only you can decide if our dances are appropriate for your kids. No matter what you are told parents are always welcome to see what goes on in the dances. One of our staff would be more than happy to give you a guided tour of the dance. At almost all of our dances we have a parent area where parents are welcome to stay and watch the dance. We do not allow parents to mingle with the kids unsupervised during the dance as a safety precaution. Only adults that have had a background check and training by Blackboard Music are allowed to have unsupervised contact with the kids at the dance.

At the dances our number one concern is safety, but we also try to keep the content of the dances appropriate. We play only edited music like you would hear on the radio. We play most top 40 popular music that is on the radio and tv. If you let your child watch PG-13 movies and listen to the radio they are not going to see or hear anything at the dance they have not heard before. We have a dress code and rules on how the kids can dance and don’t allow kids to “make out” or sit on each other’s laps. In the end you need to decide if this dance is right for your child so please feel free to come into a dance or give us a call or email. Please feel free to contact Zeke Goodrick General Manager with any questions.

DANCE RULES

Once participants enter the dance they are not allowed to leave without an adult. We do not want to physically restrain any participants from leaving unless they are going to harm themselves or another participant or staff.

Only current 6th, 7th and 8th graders will be allowed to participate at the middle school dances. Anyone known or suspected of violating the age rule should be immediately brought to a dance supervisor’s attention. Students are asked to bring student ID OR have the adult that drops them off verify they are a current 6th, 7th or 8th grader to one of our staff.

No dangerous or inappropriate items will be allowed in the dance, including:

• Any prescription or emergency medication should be checked in with the staff when entering the dance.
• No Drugs or Alcohol of any kind.
• No Knives, spikes, pins or any other weapon or something that could be used as a weapon.
• Glass or anything that has glass. Perfume or cologne bottles, drinks, ect...
• Pens
• Cameras or video recorders – cell phones are ok but should not be used to take pics or video
• Gum or anything excessively sticky
• Stickers
• Fireworks, lighters or matches

AGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR

There is no physical or verbal abuse or intimidation accepted
Anyone violating this should be immediately brought to a dance supervisor's attention
Any fighting will result in an indefinite suspension from future dances
While dancing there should be no contact below the waist
Making out will not be acceptable behavior
Everyone must have their own seat (no sitting on anyone else's lap)
No running through the gym
No “making out”
No wrestling or rough horse play
All participants will be expected to be respectful to themselves, other participants and staff before during and after the dance.

DRESS CODE

There will be a dress code enforced as the participants enter the dance and throughout the dance

• We should not be able to see any inappropriate body parts
• No undergarments should be showing at any time
• Tank tops will be acceptable but all shirts will need to have a back and top
• No strapless tops
• Tops will need to have a sleeve or strap on each shoulder or arm
• Bandanas will not be allowed at the dances
• We reserve the right to determine on a case by case basis if an outfit is inappropriate