CHS DRESS CODE ADVISORY: DO'S, DON'TS, AND UNDERWEAR?

As the weather gets warmer, Columbia High School principal Elizabeth Aaron offered some words of caution in an email this week to students and parents about the school's dress code.

As in the past, it bars offensive messages on clothes, skimpy attire and even indoor sunglasses. Indoor hats and headwear are also banned, unless they are for religious reasons -- but even that requires a note.

Aaron

But there was also an added mention of making sure students wear underwear, and don't expose it, with another portion of her note reminding them to "be sure that your students wear something on their bottom halves to school."

We won't ask what prompted that last reminder.

See the dress code HERE, and Aaron's entire note to parents below:

Good afternoon from CHS. 

Attached please find the CHS dress code. Over the past two years, the CHS, SOMS, and MMS communities, including parents/guardians and students, met with district leaders to revise and align dress codes at the three schools. 

In particular, we worked on creating dress codes that created expectations of appropriate dress for school for all students, rather than calling out specific choices, items, or gender-specific and/or gender-binary items and wear. 

With warmer weather upon us, please bear in mind that students should have underwear on at school. Underwear should not be visible. 

Shorts, tops,  and skirts should cover skin, and not be ones that are more usually worn for sunning, beach, or pool wear. While our dress code does not currently provide for a measurement limit or minimum to shorts or skirt length, we do remind you that as students walk up stairs and sit in chairs, shorts or skirts that are already short become even shorter.

We recognize that current fashion trends for women include oversize tops or dresses over tights, stockings, or bare legs. Please be sure that your students wear something on their bottom halves to school. 

Please take time to review this dress code with your student tonight. We do not wish to have any student miss any class time to address a violation of our dress code, nor can we ask teachers  to spend time working with students who are not appropriately dressed in a classroom.  

We are committed to our focus and energies be dedicated to learning for the remaining weeks of school and ask your help to be sure your students do the same. 
Please also send your students to school with filled water bottles, and remind them several of our water fountains, including that in the cafeteria, are designed to fill water bottles. Hydration is important on these warmer days. 

Should you have any questions, please be in touch directly with us at CHS. 

Thank you, 
Elizabeth M. Aaron, MAT, M.Ed.
Principal