and I can guarantee that no matter how you do it, they will pull it out by recess time.

If it really worries you though, make sure you wet it quite well and use a comb to pull it back tight. I can get my girls hair looking like they have had a facelift it's pulled back that tight when growing out fringes, those tiny little elastic bands are fantastic for pulling back a small amount of hair that you can then pull back in with the rest of it for a pony tail. And even then it doesn't matter how wet or how tight you pull it back, by the end of the day bits and pieces have managed to escape by the end of the day anyway. And after seeing kids turn up to school who I"m sure have never even used a brush or comb their entire lives I don't think your DD's hair would be that bad.