Rumour: That a Directive from the NSW Department of Education & Training states that schools are forbidden to take any active role in conducting school formals.
This is a myth! We have had lengthy consultations with the Policy Section of the N.S.W. Department of Education & Training on this matter and what we were told is that there is not, and never was, any such directive or advice issued.
According to the Department, is that under ALL circumstances, the decision as to whether a school, or any member of it's staff, becomes involved in a formal is totally at the discretion of the Principal. A High School Principal is considered a senior and respected officer in the education system and is charged with the authority to decide what is, and is not, of benefit to their own attending students.
In some cases, the District Superintendent for the Department may consult with any or all of the Principals within their designated region and it may be the collective decision that they will or will not become involved but any Principal who decides that participation in a formal would be a good thing cannot have that decision overridden by either the Superintendent or the Department according to current policy.
If any Principal wishes to verify or clarify this, they need only get in touch with their regional Superintendent. They possess all of the documents and resources issued by the Department on these matters.
Rumour: Students attending a formal outside of school premises are not covered by insurance in case of any incident.
This is also a myth! Our events are all held in major high-profile establishments and not only are the venues covered by insurances on the highest levels, but we also carry public liability insurance for security on top of that. As of September 2005 all of our events are also covered by a new insurance product that provides personal injury cover and property damage cover. The school's policy is not pertinent or necessary when we conduct your formal.
Of course there is a small measure of truth to the myth - and that is that when student's are attending a formal off school premises, they are not covered by the School's insurance, but as explained above, they are covered by other insurances far more comprehensively than any school insurance policy.
Rumour: High School Formals are always fraught with misbehaviour and drunkenness.
Truth and Myth: This may be true of some formals in years gone by but the truth is that there are some very tough legislative measures in place that are designed to prevent this sort of occurrence.
We consulted heavily with the State Government departments on matters of the law, legal responsibility, duty of care, security, liquor licensing and other associated issues.
What we learned is that there are various types of licenses available to various types of venues. They all have restrictions designed to keep young people safe from the affects of alcohol.
Although this area of the law is rather complex, we decided that it would be far more effective if we wrote a single set of procedures and policies that would cover all pertinent legislation by banning the service of alcohol completely at almost all venues. In these venues even adults, parents and teachers are forbidden alcohol at our formals because all liquor, quite simply, is either removed from the function area completely, or placed under lock and key - literally.
At a very small number of other venues where the law clearly allows the responsible service of alcohol to adults, we have a very specific additional set of procedures and equipment that limits the service of alcohol far beyond anything that is recommended by RSA legislation. We simply will not place ourselves, or you in a position of risk.
Our policies regarding alcohol can be viewed in greater detail on the Security & Legal Compliance page of this site.
Rumour: There has to be a guaranteed minimum number of Teachers or Parents present at every formal.
Another myth! There is a minimum mandatory requirement imposed by the State for "responsible supervising adults" but that doesn't have to be parents and teachers don't qualify under the law. We not only cover this as part of every event with our own staff but our minimum is higher than the State's requirement.
It is quite alright for us to conduct formals, under the law, without any parents or teachers in attendance at all. In fact, this has always been the case with complete success.
Unfortunately, we've had far more trouble with the poor behaviour of parents at formals in the past than with teens. As a result, we've decided that Parents will no longer be able to attend our formals, unless with special permission from our management. The overwhelming consensus amongst students has also told us that they do not want their parents overshadowing their big night, even though they may be too polite to say so.
Rumour: Individual School Staff Members attending High School Formals must assume total responsibility for the guests while attending the event.
This is a myth! Any attending staff member would have no greater responsibility or duty on the night than any attending guest, student or partner. Our own staff actually run the event and control all that transpires at the event without the need to call upon anyone for assistance.
Further to this, it is actually illegal for a staff member of the school to assume any roles whatsoever that may fall under the category of supervision or security unless they 1/ Possess a Bona-Fide Security License and display it, 2/ Carry their own Public Liability Insurance and 3/ Have written permission to conduct these duties from the organiser and the venue.
To clarify that, we should point out that responsibility for adherence to the standard terms and conditions that require signing at the "proposal" and "agreement" stage of planning a formal falls upon the actual person signing the documents. If that person coincidentally happens to be a member of Faculty, this does not necessarily mean that the school immediately assumes joint liability for anything that happens on the day.
To further clarify this point. To date, in the 16 year history of this programme, not a single function has been closed down, not a single cent of normally refundable deposit money has been withheld and not a single school or signatory individual has been held liable for anything going wrong. We accredit much of this to the smooth running and stringent security methods we have finely tuned to suit this market.
Rumour: By a school refusing to take part in arranging a formal, no such formal will take place, therefore, the schools good repute will remain in tact no matter what.
This is one of the most dangerous myths of all!: Our surveys have shown that 86% of schools that refused involvement have students who will go ahead and hold a formal regardless, AND in most cases will use the school's name in the process. The fact that the school does not sanction the event will not prevent it from taking place and if anything goes wrong, will not protect the school if a liability claim transpires OR the media happens to come across a worthy story. YES! That's right! Even if the school has no knowledge that the formal is taking place, legally it potentially attracts a liability exposure if anything at that formal goes wrong.
Where many formals go wrong is simply that students are easy prey for disreputable people in the marketplace who seek to capitalise on their inexperience and produce less than adequately planned and controlled events. We know of quite a number of firms that rely on school students to buy illegal event packages for their main source of income each season. They include many venues that also market heavily but don't even possess licenses to hold school events.
Make no mistake! The best way to avoid students travelling down a poor path is to advise them well and supervise their decisions, equipped with the facts and reputable assistance from well established and experienced professionals.
Rumour: Events like formals are only really for elite private schools who's students can afford it.
Myth!: For the last 12 years, we have conducted more State school events than private schools. In most cases, the ticket price of our events is far less than other items on the list of the average formal guest. Students will pay far less on their ticket price than they will gladly pay for things like suits or dresses, make up, nails & hair, limousines and after parties.
This is often the most important event on their social calendar. Students, if left to book their own function, will more often pay $30 or $50 more per head than our ticket price, to attend some other venue that serves them unlimited liquor illegally.
Rumour: School students (in N.S.W.) should never be placed under the supervision of those who have not been submitted to the mandatory screening process imposed by the Department of Education and Training under the N.S.W. Child Protection (prohibited employment) act 1998.
Truth: We agree wholeheartedly! That's why all of our Staff, Management, Masters of Ceremony, Disc Jockeys, Event Managers, Security Personnel, Photographers and all those within our crew likely to attend a formal and interact with students are put through that process as a mandatory requirement of employment with us.
We challenge any and all others in the School Formal Supply Industry, in any capacity to boast that they adhere to Governmental regulations as seriously as we do.
