FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE? Attire for the dances varies from formal to costume. Most of the dances are semi-formal, with one casual dance and one costume dance. The 7/8 grade Holly Ball is formal. Girls are not required to have a new dress for every dance.

Semi-formal: 5/6 grade girls: Tea length dresses with modest and age appropriate straps. Shrugs with arm holes may be worn over a dress. White gloves are required. Shoes should be flats with a back or strap (fifth grade) and flats or low heels (sixth grade) with a back or strap. (Open toes are fine.) Not allowed: mules, boots or booties, thong sandals, leggings, dark hosiery, finger-less gloves, shawls without arm holes, or purses or bags (except for insulin/medication). Hosiery is optional, but must be skin colored if worn. At the Holly Ball, girls carry a nosegay like a bride or debutante. These may be made at home or purchased from a florist or grocery store. No corsages or wrist corsages.

Semi-formal 7/8 grade girls: Attire is the same as above, but heels may be higher and dresses may have halter or spaghetti straps. Shrugs are not needed. Not allowed: mules, boots or booties, thong sandals, leggings, dark hosiery, finger-less gloves, shawls without arm holes, or purses or bags (except for insulin/ medications). White gloves are required.

Semi-formal 5-6-7-8 boys: Proper attire is a suit with light shirt and tie/bow tie or jacket with dress slacks, light shirt and tie/bow tie. Shoes should be polished leather- either tie up or loafer. No suede, dirty bucks, topsiders, tennis shoes, etc. All boys wear a boutonniere to the Holly Ball. These may be made at home, or ordered from a florist or grocery store.

Holly Ball Formal 7/8 girls: Floor length dresses with white gloves that are the appropriate length depending on the sleeve length. Strapless dresses may be worn. Shoe requirements are the same as for semi-formal. Tip: High heels are very hard to dance in and not recommended. Girls carry a floral nosegay like a bride or debutante. They may be made at home or ordered from a florist or grocery store. No corsages or wrist corsages.

Holly Ball Formal 7/8 boys: A dark suit or tuxedo may be worn. If you choose a dark suit, you may want to wear it to all the dances instead of wearing slacks and a jacket. This will save money. Or, you may choose to rent a tux for the Holly Ball. All boys wear a boutonniere to the Holly Ball. These may be made at home or ordered from a florist or grocery store.

COPYRIGHT AGREEMENT:  As a condition of participation, the student grants Little Rock Junior Cotillion the right to photograph him/her for publication within the Little Rock Junior Cotillion brochures, postcards, website, newsletters, social media, or other online publicity. No names will be published. 

HOW ARE STUDENTS SELECTED? IS THERE A WAIT LIST? Since our policy is to have a partner for every child, there is often a waiting list of applicants.  Acceptance is on a first applied, first accepted basis after legacies have been accepted. Legacies are students whose parent or older sibling completed four years of Little Rock Junior Cotillion OR has an older sibling who is currently enrolled. If a child is placed on the waiting list, they will be notified should a place open.  If notification is not forthcoming by the first dance in September, the application will be rolled over to the next year. You do not need to apply again. Invitation and wait list letters will be mailed in July.

WHEN ARE APPLICATIONS DUE? Applications for the fifth grade class will be accepted beginning February 1 of the fourth grade year. Applications for new 6-8 grade students are accepted at any time. There is not a deadline, but applying early will greatly help your odds of participating.

HOW DO I KNOW IF I AM ACCEPTED? Invitations will be USPS mailed in July. Wait list letters will be e-mailed before invitations are mailed. Once a student is accepted, they are automatically invited each year. There is no need to reapply each year. .
WHAT IS THE COST? Tuition for the 2025 season is $275. This is due upon acceptance in July.  As of 1 December 2024 there is a non-refundable application fee of $20 that will be applied toward tuition upon acceptance. Tuition must be paid in full prior to 1 September. Payment can be online through a Square Link that will be emailed with invitation. Financial assistance possible. Payment plans available; must be completed by the first dance or the student may not be admitted.

Pay application fee here: https://square.link/u/4nH7L0S0
Pay balance of 2025 Tuition here AFTER acceptance: https://square.link/u/AGnaCWc0

Incoming 5th Grade Special Offer: For the first time we are offering a substantial savings opportunity for the incoming class of 2033. As many know, LRJC is a four year program. Upon acceptance in the 5th grade each student is automatically enrolled in the next season unless Mrs. McClure is notified otherwise in writing. This is one way students are invited to join from the waitlist. In an effort to offer you a way to save some money we are offering the Class of 2033 to pay for all four years of their LRJC tuition upon acceptance and receive a 20% discount off of the grand total. The discounted total is $956.80. That is nearly an entire season of LRJC for free!
Details: A partial refund will only be given if a family moves out of Pulaski County or further than a county that touches Pulaski. Upon issuing a refund, these will be issued in yearly increments in line with the typical refund policy. For example, if you go with this option and move after the student’s 5th grade season you will be refunded $669.30 with proper documentation of move (relocation packet with work, closing documents on new home, proof of new lease, anything of the like). Should you move after the 6th grade season the refund will be $381.80. A move after the 7th grade season will result in a $90 refund. These refunds are subject to proper documentation of move as well as submitted on or prior to 1 August.
Take advantage of this special offer here: https://square.link/u/j7WCihH2

WHERE IS IT HELD? The Mcauley Center at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock, Arkansas.

WHAT IS THE REFUND POLICY? $150 will be refunded if we are notified on or before 1 August. After this time, we will be finalizing our classes, training staff and inviting students from the wait list if room permits.

DO I NEED A CARPOOL? Carpools are highly recommended but not required. The carpool experience is half the fun. Most students go out either before or after their dance for dinner or dessert. And, since middle school is a socially awkward age, students feel more confident entering with their friends. We do NOT put carpools together, but will send out lists based on school groups after registration ends. You do not need to limit your carpool to school groups. Many students are in carpools with others who live on their street or neighborhood. Carpool drivers are requested to chaperone your charges when out together.

WHERE DO I BUY WHITE GLOVES? Gloves may be found at The Toggery, Bridal Stores, Amazon, Claire’s, The Icing, Party City, Gloves on Line and other locations.

MAY PARENTS OBSERVE? Parents/guardians are invited to chaperone at the Holly Ball. Dress code is the same as for your children, however, flowers and gloves are not required for chaperones.

MAY I BRING A GUEST? Out of town guests only. The STUDENT must call Mrs. McClure and ask if the guest may come. The guest must dress in the attire appropriate for the dance they are visiting. Guests will sit and watch.

WHAT IF MY CHILD MISSES A DANCE? If a student misses a dance, he/she should come to the next dance 15 minutes early for makeup. Please have them tell us they are here for makeup.