Proms went poof after schools shifted to online learning last March, dragging dress sales with them.
Although high schools have since reopened, school leaders are still uncertain about holding large-scale events until they get guidance from state officials.
“I wish I had a crystal ball,” said Seraichyk, the owner of Infusion Boutique in Warwick. “We’re in uncharted territory. No one ever wrote a business plan that included a pandemic.”
The hard shutdown on public events last spring left many boutiques reeling from a double whammy: the cancellation of weddings and proms.
“Prom is 95% of my revenue,” said Stefania Spas, owner of Stefania’s Boutique in Cranston. “Last year, we closed on St. Patrick’s Day. I can count on two hands how many dresses I’ve sewn since then. My mom and I didn t go upstairs to our prom area for three months because it was too sad.”
EAST GREENWICH- At the last East Greenwich School Board meeting, it was announced by Superintendent Alexis Meyer that they had a total of three positive COVID-19 tests out of the 1108 students tested through the BiNax Now Asymptomatic Testing.
Thatâs why it was such a shock to the district when nine students in one grade tested positive at the same time last week. The positive tests came from Meadowbrook Elementary School.Â
âThe positives were a result of our ongoing asymptomatic Binax testing,â Meyer wrote in a memo to students, parents and staff at the school. âWhile perhaps surprising, this is precisely why mitigation strategies such as asymptomatic testing are crucial in our ongoing work to diligently protect our school community,â she went on to say.Â