Stratford committee recommends Stratford High dance team for national competition in Orlando

The Stratford School District curriculum committee voted to recommend approval for Stratford High School’s dance team to attend the University Dance Association national competition in Orlando.

Athletic staff described a trip for 12 dancers and nine chaperones. The athletic director said the paperwork was submitted late but emphasized the team’s extensive fundraising and participation: “She’s done a tremendous job, fundraising for it,” the athletic director said. Coach Miller, who will lead the team at the event, called it “an unbelievable opportunity for the girls to go and compete at a national level.”

Committee members asked whether fundraising covered costs. Coach Miller said it had not fully covered all expenses but that the per‑student cost for the year was brought to under $1,000 after fundraising and payment plans; she compared that to the cheer budget and said the team’s expenses were roughly similar.

Committee chair Sean Kennedy called for a favorable recommendation to move the request forward; the motion was seconded and the committee recorded a roll‑call approval to recommend the trip proceed to the next approval step. Committee members also confirmed that parents will travel with the team and that the competition will be livestreamed on varsity.com, with finals appearing on ESPN if the team advances.

Next steps: the committee’s favorable recommendation will be forwarded for the routine approval steps the district follows for out‑of‑state student travel.