Secondary Student Dress Code 200809 Revisions

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Secondary Student Dress Code2008-09 Revisions

• Waxahachie Independent School District

Last updated Wednesday, July 30, 2008
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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

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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.

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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
  committees 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)

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

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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
  committees 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.

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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 districts
  website.

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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 students 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.

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Shirts, Tops, and Blouses

• Students may wear polo-style (knit) shirts,
  collared shirts, or blouses. Any manufacturers
  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.

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Dresses, Skirts, Shorts, and Pants

• Students may wear shorts, pants, jeans, skirts,
  or dresses. Any manufacturers 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
  students 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.

11
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
  manufacturers 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Cont. Exemptions

• Any appeal of the campus principals 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.

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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 manufacturers logos must be 2 x 2 or
  smaller.

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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.

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Dress Code Clarifications

• Regarding sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, etc.
• They must be solid-colored. Any manufacturers
  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.

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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.

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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?

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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 manufacturers 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.

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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 students 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.

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Sample Pictures
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Sample Pictures
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Sample Pictures
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Sample Pictures
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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.

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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.

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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!