Written by Jane Scupham, Principal
The Friday night the air in the school was crackling with excitement. Middle school students were being dropped off at the rear doors for the first middle school dance of the year. The room mothers had worked their magic to make the cafeteria look festive in the school colors of blue and gold. The ceiling was even festooned with glittery decorations including a paper disco ball. Students trickled into the room, the pizza and pop were consumed and then the moment arrived for the lights to be lowered.
Mrs. Taylor began the fun with the instructions to "leave room for the Holy Spirit" and then rang the school bell to begin the ever-popular, "bell dance." Students paired up, the music began, smiles and laughter filled the air. Mrs. Behrend and Mrs. Bengert danced, Mrs. Randazzo and Mrs. Baker shooed the shy ones into the center of the dance floor, and Mrs. Rock circled the floor snapping photos. The evening flew by for the young dancers. At the end of the evening they were reluctant to leave and asked when the next dance was to be held. Even this week when I talked with some of the middle school students, they were still smiling and saying what great fun they had at the dance.
I'm certain that this school dance experience is very different from what is experienced by students in our public middle schools. Here at Saint Paul, all was in joyful abundance that evening-- good fun, laughter, total participation (including the Holy Spirit!), smiles from the dancers and adult chaperones alike, and the preservation of the innocence of childhood.