Dress Code
Sturgeon Heights School, as do most schools, has an ongoing need to clarify appropriate dress for our school community. Although it is not realistic to have definitive regulations that are scientific and measurable, there are some common sense guidelines that we expect our students, guests and staff to follow. In the event the reasonable guidelines are not followed we, as a school, are expected to address issues.
School must be looked at as a “place of work” where anyone coming in to the school environment would dress respectfully of that business.
We have had feedback from a number of sources regarding concern for our image and the image portrayed by our students. Our goal is to maintain a standard set by the school community.
Why have a dress code?
- To reduce distractions to learning
- To avoid embarrassment
- To reduce accusations or situations of inappropriate behavior
- To provide positive role models to our younger students and our community.
What is unacceptable dress?
- Clothes that are see-through
- Clothes that are skintight
- Clothes where your underwear is showing. This includes straps.
- Clothes that have offensive pictures or language
- Clothes that do not entirely cover your back or abdomen
- Clothes that do not entirely cover your private body parts
- Clothing that promotes illegal substances for your age group
- Hats
Who does the dress code apply to?
Everyone from the youngest to the oldest person in our school. Consistency is important. No matter how innocent a skimpy top on a primary aged student might be, the message needs to be that student bodies are appropriately covered while in school. Junior high aged students need to have rules they can interpret as being fair for all.
Are there exceptions to the rules?
There are standards and norms for appropriate dress during special activities or events when the practices are relaxed to a different standard. Certainly common sense limits are always in place and the dignity of the human body is respected.
How is Sturgeon Heights dealing with situations when the dress code lines are crossed?
All staff are empowered to address situations of inappropriate dress.
In situations where someone’s attire is not meeting our dress code, they are asked to change to appropriate clothing. This may be in the form of clothing supplied by the school or alternate clothing available to the student. Parents will be notified in the event of recurrent violations. The expectation is that any clothing provided by the school, will be cleaned and returned.