Sandy Barker knows what to expect at prom.

"There's always the drama," Barker said.

"This is high school, remember. People are going to have their feelings hurt. There are going to be fights. Girls are going to wear the same dresses.

But last year's celebration had an added level of drama for Barker, Thomas Jefferson High School's prom advisor for the past eight years.

School officials found a bomb threat on the wall of a bathroom in the high school just days before the prom. It referenced the Omni William Penn Hotel, the event's location.

Security was increased for the event. Chaperones paid close attention to who came and went.

But in the end, prom went off without a hitch, much to Barker's pleasure.

For many prom chaperones, the objective of the night is to ensure the students enjoy themselves and stay safe.

Achieving the objective involves taking both major and minor details into account: who or what is going to stop people from having a good time? When all bases are covered, the chaperones relax and enjoy the night.

"It's like one of those things as a principal: you get a knot in your stomach," said Jason Olexa, principal of Brentwood High School.

"So when you get through the night without a problem, you feel good. You've done your job."

Olexa has attended prom every year he has worked in education -- 14 years at four school districts.

The trick is to get all students from promenade to prom as quickly as possible, Olexa said.

Students get in the most trouble when they are out of parents' and teachers' sights.

"After you get them inside -- safe, sober -- it's actually very fun," he said.

Olexa credited the students' clo-thing for setting the tone of the evening.

"When they dress up in a dress or a tuxedo, they act like they are dressed up in a dress or tuxedo," Olexa said.

Several chaperones echoed Olexa's sentiments. Students, they said, tend to grow up when put in adult situations.

"Our kids are so good," said Dan Giger, a former prom advisor at T.J. "We do the stuff to cover our butts, but generally the kids are so good we don't have to worry about them."

Barker said one thing that can ruin a student's night is a ripped dress or blood-stained shirt.

She brings a sewing kit, bandaids and "whatever else (she) can legally bring" to keep students on the dance floor and having a good time.

In contrast to Barker, Doug Graff and Kelly Tookey, Baldwin High School's senior class advisors, are new to the prom management role.

Both teachers graduated from Baldwin in the '90s. Graff said he hopes this year's prom is similar to the one he experienced more than a decade ago.

"It was more of a celebration than a formal dance," Graff said.

"I hope that's more of the way kids see it: not teachers or chaperones over there, but one celebration for everyone."

Nonetheless, Graff sought advice from previous chaperones.

One gem he received: bring superglue for broken high heels.

"You can almost bring a survival kit to prom to make sure everyone gets through the night," Graff said.