Each year, Branson’s Winter Formal — known informally as WoFo — promises a night of music, food, laughter and memories. With sweet treats, an exclusive live performance from the Branson Rock Band and a chance to dress up and dance with friends, it’s a highly anticipated event. 

However, confusion with the rules and regulations for the evening undermine the student body’s excitement for the event. The permission slip students are required to sign before entering the dance reads “I understand that I may not leave the dance before 10 p.m. unless my parent has communicated with Maura Vaughn beforehand.”

This rule has left students feeling that they have to commit upfront as to how long they will remain at the dance. Since WoFo falls in the winter, a time when many students are sick, attendees of the dance want to trust they will have the freedom to make decisions as the dance progresses. 

The rule has been accepted by the Branson community as the general understanding. Adults, chaperones, and students alike believed that should they want to leave early, that would have to be confirmed prior to the dance beginning. 

However, this is not the strict policy: during the dance, several students decided that they would be returning home, and their parents communicated with Gisella Petrone, senior class dean, on the night of the dance. 

Evidently, certain students understood the nuance and flexibility of the policy, but many students did not. Some who were already planning not to attend chose to spend the night at home, for fear of losing the agency to make decisions as the night progresses.   

Going forward, the dance organizers would be greatly served by further clarifying the rules expected for the evening. This will encourage more people to attend the dance and the celebration of all the Rock Band’s hard work will be paid off.