R 5511.1  DRESS AND GROOMING - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

 

Philosophy

 

The dress students wear should be appropriate, clean within reasonable limits, avoid extremism, and not in any significant way distracting to educational activities.

 

Our concern is neither to dictate fashion nor limit individual freedom of expression; our goal is to establish a school climate that focuses on academic pursuits.  With this in mind, we have established the following Mandatory School Uniform:

 

The School Uniform Policy will be in effect on the first day of the school year in September.

 

All students in grades prekindergarten through eight are required to arrive at school each day well groomed and neatly dressed in a Mandatory School Uniform.  It is the student’s responsibility to dress according to the approved and reasonable regulations of the Bayonne Board of Education. 

 

New students transferring into the school system will have five school days to be in uniform.  Principals will handle transfers on a case by case basis.  Receipts from the uniform supplies indicating that a uniform(s) has been ordered will be accepted and the child will not be penalized for be in in non-compliance.

 

Effective September 2007, school uniforms must be worn on all field trips, in parades, and at school related activities.  Students participating in athletic competitions must wear team uniforms.

 

With the above in mind, these specific guidelines have been developed for students in grades prekindergarten through eight:

 

Clothing and accessories:

 

1.     are to be neat, clean, worn as intended, and of proper fit.

 

2.     should neither expose the wearer nor others to the possibility of physical harm or injury, i.e. untied laces for shoes and sneakers and clogs, earrings, bracelets, etc.

 

Please note that within the framework of the dress code:

 

1.     Boys:  Uniform Shirt with district logo and khaki pants or walking shorts, navy/khaki sweatshirt or sweater;  White golf type shirt, long or short sleeves with logo; Long or Short sleeve khaki/navy blue t-shirt with logo; Any shirt worn under the school uniform shirt (layering) must be solid white, blue or khaki.  Stripes and all other colors are not to be worn; Sweatshirts must be navy blue or khaki and be free of any writing or log.  The only acceptable logo is the Board of Education.  Plain navy/khaki sweatshirts may be worn; Solid navy blue/khaki turtle necks may be worn with Board of Education logo; Khaki Bermuda style walking shorts or khaki cargo shorts, of appropriate length may be worn to school.

 

2.  Girls:  Uniform Shirt with district logo, khaki pants, skirt, skort, walking shorts or Capri pants, navy/khaki sweatshirt or sweater; White golf type shirt, long or short sleeves with logo; Long or Short sleeve khaki/navy blue t-shirt with logo; Any shirt worn under the school uniform shirt (layering) must be solid white, blue or khaki.  Stripes and all other colors are not to be worn; Sweatshirts must be navy blue or khaki and be free of any writing or log.  The only acceptable logo is the Board of Education.  Plain navy/khaki sweatshirts may be worn; Solid navy blue/khaki turtle necks may be worn with Board of Education logo; Khaki Bermuda style walking shorts or khaki cargo shorts, of appropriate length may be worn to school; Khaki jumper (dress) may be worn.

 

3.  Boys and Girls:  On days of physical education the student may wear either the mandatory school uniform or navy sweat pants (with or without the district logo) and T-shirt with the district logo;

 

4.  Jeans are not permitted;

 

5.  Hats are not to be worn in the school building at anytime;

 

6.  Coats are not to be worn during class time.

 

 

Spirit Wear

At the discretion of the school principal, School Spirit Days may be held on one school day each month.  On School Spirit Days, the children may wear school spirit clothing to school.  Notices regarding School Spirit Wear Days must be sent home to all parents.

 

 

Right to "Opt Out"

A student may "Opt Out" of compliance with the Uniform Policy in the following situations:

 

1.  The Policy shall not preclude a student who participates in a nationally recognized youth organization (i.e. Boys Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.) from wearing their organization uniform to school on days when the organization has a scheduled meeting.

 

2.  Accommodation will be made when it is demonstrated that the uniform, or components of the uniform, would interfere with a student's sincerely held religious beliefs.  It will be determined on a a case by case basis and is to be handled in the same manner as a request for a religious exception to the dress and grooming policy that prohibits students from wearing hats in school.

 

3.  A student who has a medical condition that prevents them from coming into contact with the materials contained in the school uniform will be allowed to wear a uniform of alternative materials or non-uniform clothing upon presentation of proper medical documentation approved by the Chief Medical Inspector of the school district.

 

Enforcement of the dress code starts with each parent and student exercising responsibility and good judgment.

 

All professional staff members have the obligation of reporting school uniform violations.  Each violation shall be documented:

 

 

1.     Any violation of the dress code will be reported to the school authority (building principal).

 

Each school should develop incentives and positive reinforcement measures to encourage compliance with a requirement for wearing school uniforms.

 

The following is the procedure for students in noncompliance with the mandatory school uniform policy in our elementary schools:

 

1.  The consequences for a first non-compliance with the school uniform policy will be detention at lunch.  Detention at lunch for being non-compliant will begin on the first full day of the school term.

 

2.  After three consecutive days of non-compliance with the school uniform policy, the parent will be notified and the child will be removed from all clubs, teams and activities for the school year.

 

3.  During the school year, any child accumulating a total of ten or more days of non-compliance with the school uniform policy, will be removed from all school clubs, teams and activities for the remainder of the school year.

 

4.   Once a child has been removed from all school clubs, teams and activities as a result of non-compliance with the Elementary School Uniform Policy, the parent will have one opportunity to have the child reinstated in school clubs, teams and activities by agreeing to comply with the Elementary School Uniform Policy and have their child(ren) wear a school uniform to school each day.  The parent must schedule a meeting with the school administrator.  At the meeting the parent will be asked to sign a form letter indicating that they will comply with the Elementary School Uniform Policy for the remainder of the school year.  Once this letter has been signed and the child(ren) begins wearing the school uniform, they will be reinstated in all school clubs, team and activities.  Should the child(ren) accumulate a total of 5 days of non-compliance or three consecutive days of non-compliance, the child(ren) will again be removed from all school clubs, teams and activities for the remainder of the school year with no option of being reinstated.

 

5.  Students will be assigned to detention at lunch on any day when the school uniform is not worn.  Students who do not eat lunch in school will be assigned to the morning or after school detention program.

 

Parents will have the opportunity to donate clean, used school uniform shirts back to the school on the last day of each school year or when a School Spirit Day will be held.

 

 

Issued:  28 July 1997

Revised:  26 June 2006

Revised:  2 August 2007

Revised:  26 July 2006

Revised:  31 October 2006

Revised:  20 June 2008