Get class officers involved. This is an easy way to help ensure all classes have an even voice in the decision-making process. Recruit from outside student government. If your organization allows, recruit from students across campus who are looking to get involved with leadership activities. Partner with other organizations such as pep groups or student leadership groups. This offers you more support from the student body as well as potential volunteers.
Date Theme Location Decorations DJ Photographer Refreshments Chaperons Budget Faculty Adviser
Some jobs, such as picking an adviser and a theme, should be done as a team. Others, such as getting quotes from venues and photographers, can be handled by an individual or a small sub-committee. Have groups to cover venue, entertainment, advertising and ticket sales, and decorating. Check in on a regular basis with your team. Ask “Have we completed this yet?” or “How are we doing with finding a DJ?” whenever your team meets to help keep everyone on task. Set up a check-in system so people can report their progress. Have a space where you can write out a large checklist of what needs to be done, or keep a shared calendar between your group so everyone can report on their progress.
Your adviser should be involved with your committee’s plans. Keep them up to date with everything you do by having them attend planning meetings and providing them with meeting notes.
Check with your school to see how many chaperones they require per student. Many schools have their own guidelines, and it is important to comply with your own school’s regulations. Work with your school’s parent-teacher association to find volunteers. Ask to attend a meeting so that you can directly present the opportunity to them and pass around a sign-up list.
Ask about any surcharges or equipment fees, as well as hourly rates. Inquire about what your vendors will supply, and what you are expected to have. For example, check with your DJ to see if they provide the sound system, or if you will need to rent one from elsewhere. Contact at least three options for every vendor to ensure that you get competitive pricing.
Ask your faculty adviser to verify the budget. See if the school will contribute anything outside of the student government money. Plan your budget to encompass everything you will need. Use the quotes you got from your vendors as well as budget plans and receipts from previous years to figure out what the dance will cost. Do not let your budget exceed the amount you have available. Revisit your budget often to ensure you are on track.
Host bake sales on campus during lunch periods as well as before and after school. Work with other student groups to raise money by hosting events such as a car wash. Events that let you reach out into your community give you more opportunities to bring in cash. Ask local restaurants if they offer fundraising nights. Some restaurants may offer programs that donate a certain percent of profits for the night to a student organization. Partner with a local eatery and spread the word via flyers, emails, and social media.
Get approval from your staff adviser for any potential themes. Getting the theme cleared early on prevents later potential disapproval. Choose themes that fit the mood of the dance. If you want a more formal dance, an Old Hollywood theme might be more appropriate. If you want a more casual dance, something like Beach Luau may fit better.
Make a copy of the venue contract or room reservation for your own records, so that you can reference it whenever you need it. Include all necessary facilities on your reservation. If you need the gym, the bathrooms, and the kitchen to store refreshments, make sure to list all of them.
Work with your staff adviser to make sure all of the contracts are properly drawn up and include all the information your school needs. Keep copies of any contracts or agreements for your committee’s review.
Have a detailed floor plan of your location and how you want to decorate. Draw out where the DJ should go, where the ticket table is set up, where lights should be strung, and other details. Create a plan for coat-check. Decide where coats will be stored, where the table will be set, and how you will tag coats to keep them organized. Also make sure you have at least one volunteer to man the table and two to retrieve coats. Designate someone as the day-of coordinator. This person will communicate with the volunteers on the night of the dance and troubleshoot any problems that might come up.
Check with local stores to see if they are willing to donate certain items or offer a discount to the school. Put larger items or perishable items on hold. Talk to your local market about reserving food trays in advance and picking them up the day of the dance. Do the same for larger decorative items that you might not be able to store easily on campus.
Announce sales dates and ticket prices in advance in your school paper, during your school announcements, and on your school’s website as well as social media. Set up a table to sell before and after school for a half-hour to an hour, as well as during lunch periods. Create a volunteer schedule to make sure the table is staffed during all sales times. Work with your treasurer to get other volunteers, if need be. Order your cash box at least one week before you start selling tickets. Talk to your treasurer about whether the cash box will be provided by the student government association, the school administration, or from another source.
Talk with your staff adviser about equipment such as tables and chairs. Make sure these are ready for you at least a few hours before the dance so that you can set up. Talk with school administration to make sure your vendors have designated areas to park, unload, and set up. Remember, those with heavy equipment will need to be close to the venue. Create a plan for the day of the dance. Work with your committee and any additional volunteers to assign duties such as setting up chairs and decorating. Make sure everyone knows their job well in advance.
Have the DJ, photographer, and chaperons arrive early. Show the DJ the area where they will be working, and give the photographer a tour of the space. Delegate duties to the chaperons such as helping with coat check, monitoring the dance floor, or helping with crowd control. Show them where they need to be and put them in touch with the day-of coordinator.
For example, let a ticket-taker relieve your day-of coordinator for a while once everyone is in, or get a chaperone to stand in on coat-check while the coat attendants go dance. Your volunteers are students, as well. Give them time to enjoy their efforts.
Facilities services often cover things like vacuuming, mopping, and bathroom cleaning. Decorations, tables, chairs, and equipment are often the homecoming committee’s responsibility. Bring extra cleaning supplies such as paper towels, trash bags, sponges, and cleaning solution. This will help take care of any smaller marks or scuffs around the venue. Make sure all trash gets to a designated trash area. Ask your school if you need to schedule a dumpster drop-off and pick-up for event clean-up. Try to recruit as much help as possible for clean up. It’s also a good idea to have volunteers walk around during the event and pick up trash so there’s less to do after. [4] X Expert Source Christina MillikinProfessional Event Planner Expert Interview. 11 February 2020.
