Secondary Student Dress Code

2008-09 RevisionsWaxahachie Independent School District

Last updated: Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Goals

• To provide a safe and orderly learning environment for all students

• To help promote community and school spirit

• To continue to implement Dress Code safeguards and guidelines to help ensure that student dress code infractions are decreased for the 2008-09 school year; Thus ensuring that the students are in their classrooms learning and not in the campus front offices.

• To still provide students choices for dress via a standard dress menu versus a student dress uniform

• To encourage professional and responsible dress for all students

Information and Timeline of Events

• In the Waxahachie ISD 2006 Summer Newsletter, the following community survey data was reported:

76% of WISD staff and 63% of parents [were] supportive and strongly supportive of the idea of going to standardized dress for the 2007-08 school year.

• In December of 2006, a team of WISD administrators traveled and met with the high school and middle school principals of Ennis ISD and Red Oak ISD to discuss and review their new standard dress uniform programs.

FYI: Red Oak, Ennis, Lancaster, and Corsicana ISDs all have dress uniform programs.

Information and Timeline of Events

• The WISD Board of Trustees voted not to implement a standardized dress menu policy for the 2007-08 school year. The Board requested that the administration address all dress code issues and concerns through the annual evaluation, subsequent revision (if any), and enforcement of existing dress code policies.

• During the spring semester of 2007, a committee was formed and met to review the 2006-07 WISD Student Code of Conduct Dress Code. The committee’s recommendations were presented to the WISD campus principals for review and discussion. The secondary principals voted to proceed with the review process.

• Through campus staff feedback and on online survey, WISD gathered additional information regarding changes to the 2006-07 Secondary Student Dress Code.

Final results: 86% - For; 14% - Against (approximately 250 staff members voted)

Information and Timeline of Events

• In May of 2007, the WISD Board of Trustees voted to approve the changes the WISD Secondary Student Dress Code.

• In June of 2007, an information letter pertaining to the approved changes to the Dress Code was drafted and mailed home with every secondary report card. A letter was also mailed to every incoming Turner Middle School student. Letters were even mailed to several Waxahachie community clothing merchants highlighting the changes for the 2007-08 school year.

• Additional information about the new Dress Code was mailed to the community via the Waxahachie ISD Summer 2007 Newsletter and various campus newsletters and made available on the district’s website.

• An article about the Dress Code changes was also published in “The Daily Light.”

Information and Timeline of Events

• Throughout the 2007-08 school year, dress code discipline reports were reviewed and feedback gathered in preparation for the annual Student Dress Code Review Committee meetings.

• Once again, the Board requested that the administration address all dress code issues and concerns through the annual evaluation, subsequent revision (if any), and enforcement of existing dress code policies.

• During the spring semester of 2008, a committee was formed and met to review the 2007-08 WISD Student Code of Conduct Dress Code. The committee’s recommendations were presented to the WISD campus principals for review and discussion.

• Through campus staff feedback, WISD gathered additional information regarding changes to the 2007-08 Secondary Student Dress Code.

Information and Timeline of Events

• In May of 2008, the WISD Board of Trustees voted to approve the revisions to the 2007-08 WISD Secondary Student Dress Code.

• An information letter pertaining to the approved changes to the Dress Code was drafted and mailed home with every secondary report card. A letter was also mailed to every incoming Clift Middle School student. Letters were even mailed to several Waxahachie community clothing merchants highlighting the revisions for the 2008-09 school year.

• Additional information about the new Dress Code was mailed to the community via the Waxahachie ISD Summer 2008 Newsletter and various campus newsletters and made available on the district’s website.

General

• Students should be neatly dressed and may not wear torn or frayed clothing or clothing with holes. All apparel must be appropriately hemmed.

• The secondary campuses are a closed forum for student expression through student attire. This means that during the school day, student clothing should be free of any slogans, words or symbols except those that promote the school district and its instructional programs.

• Students should come to school prepared to learn. Any aspect of a student’s appearance or attire that is likely to distract or disrupt the learning environment, including images or messages that are lewd, vulgar, sexually suggestive, containing profanity, or promoting violation of school rules (such as promoting drug or alcohol use) are prohibited.

• All camouflage, all black, all red, all blue, etc. attire is prohibited.

Shirts, Tops, and Blouses

• Students may wear polo-style (knit) shirts, collared shirts, or blouses. Any manufacturer’s logos must be 2’’ x 2” or smaller. Low-cut necklines, tank tops, spaghetti straps, and off-the-shoulder shirts, blouses, or sweaters are prohibited.

• Students may wear campus principal-approved WISD sponsored curricular clubs and organizations, athletic team, or school “spirit” collared shirts or t-shirts. Approved t-shirts must have rounded necklines. Throughout the school year, special dress days may be scheduled by the campus principal.

• Any shirts or tops that show the torso when arms are raised above the head are prohibited.

• For female students, all untucked shirts, tops, and blouses may not extend below the middle of the thigh.

• For male students, all shirts must be tucked into the pants or shorts.

Dresses, Skirts, Shorts, and Pants

• Students may wear shorts, pants, jeans, skirts, or dresses. Any manufacturer’s logos must be 2’’ x 2” or smaller.

• Skirts, shorts and dresses must be longer than fingertip length when the arms are held at the student’s side.

• Dresses with low-cut necklines, spaghetti straps, or off-the-shoulder sleeves are prohibited.

• Pants and shorts should fit properly and must be worn around the normal waist area; sagging pants or shorts are not allowed. For male students, a belt must be worn

inside the belt loops and be visible at all times.

Game Day Attire and Outerwear

• Students may wear WISD athletic team or extracurricular club/organization “game day” attire with the approval of the campus principal in connection with the sponsor, coach or other person in charge of the extracurricular activity.

• Students may wear only solid-colored sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, windbreakers, jackets, sweaters, turtlenecks, vests, or coats. Any manufacturer’s logos must be 2’’ x 2” or smaller. Hoods may not be worn indoors.

• Students may wear WISD letter jackets or campus principal approved WISD sponsored curricular clubs and organization, athletic team, or spirit sweatshirts or hooded sweatshirts.

• Oversized outerwear is prohibited.

Cont. Game Day Attire and Outerwear

• Professional/Collegiate athletic team coats or jackets, trench coats, dusters, and one-piece jump suits are prohibited.

• Athletic clothing, such as warm-up suits, sweat suits, sweat pants, athletic shorts, biker shorts, spandex, overalls, coveralls, soccer or boxer style shorts, and cotton pants with drawstrings or elastic waistbands are prohibited in the academic classroom.

Accessories

• Female students may wear earrings in their ears. All other visible pierced jewelry is prohibited. Students may not wear band-aides, plastic spacers, sticks, etc. to conceal piercings.

• Students may not wear scarves, hats, caps, hoods, sweat bands, or bandanas.

• Students may not wear chains, including those attached to pants or wallets.

• Students may not wear spiked or studded clothing, jewelry, or belts.

• Students may not wear sunglasses indoors, except with a signed note from the school nurse. All sunglasses must be placed out of sight.

• Students may not wear belt buckles larger than the size of the WISD ID card. Students may wear only solid-colored belts.

Footwear

• Students must wear shoes or sandals at all times. All footwear must be appropriately fastened or tied at all times.

• Students may not wear house shoes, shoes with metal cleats, taps, or wheels on the heels or soles, or shoes that can damage or mark campus floors.

Grooming

• Male students must keep all facial hair, mustaches, sideburns, goatees, and beards neatly groomed.

• Students may use natural colored hair dye. All colors that are not deemed natural color are prohibited. Tipping or highlighting hair is permitted as long as it is a natural hair color.

• Haircuts or styles such as Mohawks, spikes, or patterns are prohibited, including any patterns in eyebrows.

Exemptions

• Parents or guardians seeking an exemption from the Secondary Dress Code for their student must complete a WISD Secondary Dress Code Exemption Request Form. This form is available upon request by mail or in person in the main office. The form is also available on the WISD website. The form must be completed in full and returned to the campus principal. The parent or guardian will be asked to discuss with the campus principal the reasons and goal of the policy and the nature of the objections to the Dress Code. This meeting shall be held within ten days after receipt of the form. Based on the information provided in the Exemption Request Form and the interview with the parent, the campus principal will make a determination as to whether the exemption is granted.  This decision shall be provided to the student or parent within ten days following the conference. Parents with more than one student enrolled in the District must fill out a separate WISD Secondary Dress Code Exemption Request Form for each student.

Cont. Exemptions

• Any appeal of the campus principal’s decision will be treated as a student/parent or guardian complaint under WISD Board Policy FNG (LOCAL).

• Unless otherwise approved by the campus principal, the student must continue to comply with the WISD Secondary Dress Code pending the outcome of the Exemption Meeting.

Dress Code Clarifications

• All school clothing must be free of any slogans, words, or symbols except those that promote the school district and its instructional programs.

Any manufacturer’s logos must be 2” x 2” or smaller.

Dress Code Clarifications

• Regarding t-shirts…

Student may wear campus principal-approved WISD sponsored curricular clubs and organizations, athletic team, or school “spirit” collared shirts or t-shirts. Approved t-shirts must have rounded necklines. See samples below.

The 2008-09 Dress Code does not include solid-colored or college/university t-shirts.

Dress Code Clarifications

• Regarding sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, etc….

They must be solid-colored. Any manufacturer’s logos must be 2” x 2” or smaller.

Student may wear campus principal-approved WISD sponsored curricular clubs and organizations, athletic team, or school “spirit” sweatshirts or hooded sweatshirts.

Dress Code Clarifications

• Students may not wear belt buckles larger than the size of the WISD ID card. Students may wear only solid-colored belts. The belts or buckles may not be spiked and must be free of slogans, words, or symbols.

• If a male student wears a pair of shorts or pants that do NOT have belt loops, the student still MUST tuck in their shirt.

• All hooded sweatshirts and sweatshirts with rounded necklines do NOT have to be tucked in.

Dress Code Clarifications

• When purchasing a t-shirt, remember to make sure it meets the following guideline:

Is it a campus principal-approved WISD sponsored curricular club or organization, athletic team, or school “spirit” t-shirt?

Dress Code Clarifications

• When purchasing a collared shirt (including knit shirts) or blouse, remember to make sure it meets the following guidelines:

It must be free of any slogans, words, or symbols except those that promote the school district and its instructional programs.

The manufacturer’s logo must be 2” x 2” or smaller.

For girls… Low-cut necklines, tank tops, spaghetti straps, and off-the-shoulder shirts, blouses, or sweaters are prohibited.

WISD Dress Code Norms ThatDid Not Change

• Boys may still wear shorts, and girls may still wear shorts, skirts, or dresses. The key is whether these apparel items are shorter than fingertip length when a student’s arms are held at their side.

• Athletic mesh-style shorts (example: Nike) with or without a drawstring are still prohibited.

• Warm-up suits, sweat pants, and cotton pants with drawstrings are still prohibited.

• Torn or frayed clothing and clothing with holes are prohibited.

• All students may still wear flip-flops. House shoes and slippers are prohibited.

Sample Pictures

Sample Pictures

Sample Pictures

Sample Pictures

First Day of School and the Rest of the School Year

• As students arrive at school via a bus, carpool, by walking, or riding a bike, campus administrators and other staff members will be watching for students not in compliance with the WISD Student Dress Code. The first few minutes of the first period of each day will also be used for this purpose.

• First, the student will be given the chance to correct the issue. If an on-campus remedy cannot fix the issue, the student will be placed in ISS or other location at the campus (under the care of a WISD staff member) until a parent or guardian can be contacted to assist with the situation. Classwork will be provided on a case-by-case basis.

• Dress Code infractions are listed in the WISD Student Code of Conduct as a Class I Offense. Persistent dress code violations may lead to a Class II or III Offense.

New Students to WISD

• During the registration process, all new students will be made aware of the WISD Student Dress Code by the registrar or counselor.

• All new students will have two school days to be in compliance with the Dress Code.

For example, a new student registers and attends class on a Monday. By Wednesday, the new student must be in compliance with the Dress Code.

Closing

WISD firmly believes that a safe and orderly learning environment is the key to a successful school year. All students, parents, teachers, and administrators must work together to assume responsibility for complying and enforcing the revised Secondary Dress Code.

For more information regarding the 2008-09 Secondary Student Dress Code, please visit with your campus principal or review the information on the district website at www.wisd.org

Thank you for your support!

Go Indians and Wolves!