Homecoming tickets went on sale on Sept. 12 and closed for sale Oct. 1, allowing students three weeks to purchase them. Because of venue capacity and fire code regulations, StuCo can only sell 750 tickets. The cafeteria fire code allows 800 people. Following the end of the sale of homecoming tickets, parents of students who did not get a ticket took to Facebook to express their feelings and began searching for other ways to buy a ticket.
This information was shared in the Broncos in the Know newsletter, student council’s Instagram and on the daily announcements.
“Students had quite a good amount of time to get them if they really wanted them,” Mr. Dedric Williams, student council advisor said. “Of course, you never want to see a kid turned away. I mean, one of my students was number 751, she was behind the kid who purchased the last ticket on that Monday, and I had to look her in the face and say, there are no more tickets.”
Mr. Williams worked with Principal Stephanie Bonneau to open up 50 more tickets during advisory on Oct. 2. Students were given a number when they got in line to ensure tickets were sold on a first-come first-serve basis. Tickets are non-transferable, meaning that once a student has bought a ticket it will be tied to their Skyward account and cannot be sold to another student.
The original 750 does not include faculty chaperones, security and other volunteers.
“The reality is, in a perfect world, yes, all 2,600 kids get to go, but we just don’t have a venue that size. But also not all 2,600 students want to come,” Mr. Williams said. “Of course, we’re not going to please everybody.”
Parents on the Parents of Legacy Facebook page suggested renting another venue whether it be a dance venue or the Mansfield ISD Center. This move would increase the cost of tickets for the students because of all the renting, transportation and decorating expenses.
“I mean, it sounds good, but the logistics behind it are that if we go somewhere else, it’s going to cost more,” Mr. Williams said. “We always want to try to make sure that we keep it inclusive so we understand it. For some kids, even this $30 is a lot.”
Another issue presented with alternative venues is space and fire code.
“The Center has a banquet room that houses 500 people,” Dr. Bonneau said. “That’s the largest banquet style room they have. We’re able to do 800 here by fire code capacity, so The Center is not a solution.”
Fire code restrictions limit the number of tickets that can be sold for the homecoming dance just like the limit the number of people in a restaurant or the amount of people at a football game. At Lake Ridge, PTSA hosts the homecoming dance, and they sell tickets for 400 students.
“I understand the desire to want more students, but also I don’t want to be the embarrassment of the district, and we end up with the fire marshal showing up, and then he’s saying, ‘Hey, you gotta close this down’,” Mr. Williams said. “Now, we got all these kids who are dressed up in the parking lot, you know.”
In order to host a dance or event, volunteers are needed. Parents were given the opportunity to volunteer to help with the homecoming dance through the Facebook page as well.
Although not all students will be able to attend the dance, there are many other ways for students to participate in the homecoming festivities. Student Council put on dress up days for the whole week and hosts a homecoming pep rally on Oct. 4.
“I hate that there are students who want to come that aren’t going to be able to,” Dr. Bonneau said. “There are going to be people who don’t get a ticket, but they can go to the game. They’re having a pep rally Friday. There’s all kinds of things you can participate in.”
Participation in the homecoming dress up days shows an increase in school spirit. Dress up days for the week included Mardi Gras day, twin day, white lie day, pajama day and spirit day.
“My positive look on it is I was here as a teacher from 2007 through 2015 and we could never get interest in a homecoming dance,” Dr. Bonneau said. “So the positive is that we’ve got so many kids interested in a homecoming dance now that we can’t house them all.”
Student Council started planning homecoming during the summer, and spent 85 hours decorating the school this year.
“It hurts my heart for Mr. Williams, because he has worked with student council so hard to build a great week for the students and a great opportunity for students Saturday night,” Dr. Bonneau said. “I hope that behind the scenes, people are reminding him he’s doing a good job, because it’s not his fault to get sold out.”
Homecoming tickets have sold out the past two years and Dr. Bonneau anticipates they will sell out again next year. One way to ensure homecoming tickets is to check the weekly Bronco newsletter from Dr. Bonneau and follow student council’s Instagram.
“I heard a young lady say the other day, she said, ‘I’m not making this mistake again. I’m gonna be the first one in line next time’,” Mr. Williams said. “We put the communication out there. It’s in the bulletin just on social media. It’s on the announcements. Don’t wait until the last day. Get it as soon as you can.”
Alexx • Oct 31, 2024 at 7:44 am
I agree that not everyone would be able to go. It must have been difficult to not get a ticket but be in line already.