POLICY MANUAL FILE CODE: 5133
Monitored
Mandated
Other
SCHOOL STANDARD DISTRICT UNIFORM POLICY
The Trenton Board of Education believes that school dress can significantly influence student behavior thereby enhancing school pride, facilitating and maintaining an effective learning environment, and generally assisting in improving school climate and culture.
In accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:11-9, the Board of Education prohibits students, while on school property from wearing , any type of clothing, apparel or accessory which indicates that the student has membership in, or affiliation with, gang associated with criminal activities.
In accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:11-7 and N.J.S.A. 18A:11-8, the Board of Education confirms its desire to authorize uniform school dress for students. The Trenton Board of Education supports this policy for the following reasons as supported in the U.S. Department of Education report document, Manual on School Uniforms, 1996:
1. To help with issues of peer pressure;
2. To promote a sense of identity and improve security;
3. To increase school spirit and school unity; and,
4. To assist students in preparing for the work world.
UNIFORM IMPLEMENTATION
Beginning September 2008, pre-kindergarten through eighth grades will wear uniforms. Beginning September 2009, ninth through twelve grades will wear uniforms.
COMMENCEMENT OF DISTRICT WIDE STANDARDIZED UNIFORM REQUIREMENT
The Trenton Board of Education must approve the request for the wearing of a standard district uniform before the requirement may be implemented. If approved, the district must:
1. Give three (3) months advance notice in writing to the parents/guardians of a student(s) attending school in the District for wearing of the school uniforms; and
2. Include information in the notice about ways to purchase the required district uniform and the name of a person at each school who can be contacted for further information about district uniforms, exemptions from the requirement, and financial assistance for economically disadvantaged students.
ASSISTANCE FOR ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS
The following provisions will be in place to assist students who are economically disadvantaged:
1. Provide an application form for parents/guardians to use to apply for assistance because of economic inability to purchase district uniforms;
2. Receive and review completed applications to determine if the
student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) qualify to participate in the
Free or
Reduced Lunch Program;
3.
Forward the completed application to the school principal.
4.
Applications will be reviewed by a school based Uniform Policy
Review Committee. The Committee shall consist of teachers, social
workers, and administrators.
5. The school based Uniform Policy Review Committee shall advise parents/guardians of the application status.
6. Those parents/guardians who have a child with a disability and
qualify for Medicaid will receive one (1) free uniform upon signing a
Parent Release Form.
7. No student shall be denied attendance at school or penalized for failing to wear the standard district uniform for reason of demonstrated financial hardship. It will be the responsibility of each school to assist those families demonstrating evidence of financial hardship with appropriate support.
WAIVERS
Waivers of district uniform requirements may be issued by the district superintendent or his/her designee. Waivers are restricted to those who meet one or more of the following criteria:
1. Religious Freedom – When wearing of the standard district uniform violates the student’s religious beliefs; however, the district may require documentation or other means of corroborating that the belief would be violated by the wearing of the district wide standard uniform;
2. Short Term Health – A physician verified health condition that would preclude a student from being able to wear all or part of the district uniform.
COMPLIANCE MEASURES
The administration reserves the right to permit variations to the school uniform for specifically organized learning activities.
The administration reserves the right to temporarily suspend the school uniform for special theme days and/or special activities.
The administration reserves the right to amend the school uniform policy.
The administration reserves the right to restrict any clothing deemed inappropriate.
A school may develop incentives and positive reinforcement measures for the wearing of school uniforms.
After exhausting all other means to secure student compliance, the school staff may use a progressive discipline approach to sanctions. These sanctions include, but are not limited to:
1. After first violation – Parent conferences and/or peer counseling
2. After-School Detention - one time each for, 2nd and 3rd violation with written notice to parent/guardian.
3. Saturday Detention - after 3 violations, with one additional Saturday for each additional violation up to 5 with written notice to parent/guardian.
4. Exclusion from extracurricular and athletic activities for the full semester (after 5 or more days in violation) or five (5) hours of community service with written notice to parent/guardian.
5. Exclusion from school-sponsored functions – Prom, Dances, Graduations Ceremony, Class Trips, etc (10 or more days in violation during the entire year) or ten (10) hours of community service with written notice to parent/guardian.
6. Letters to parents/parent conferences will be held for those parents who refuse to comply.
The Principal or designee shall forward names of students for community service. The Office of Student & Family Support will, with community providers and nonprofit organizations, administer community service and ensure student compliance.
The District will work with the local school community through its school leadership councils and local businesses to identify resources for helping economically disadvantaged families to comply with the district wide uniform requirements.
Exceptions
Upon the recommendation of the Principal and approval by the Superintendent of Schools, students may be permitted to attend school dressed in appropriate clothing other than a school uniform in order to participate in “School Spirit Day,” “Dress Down Day,” or some other observation or event. In such times, the Principal shall be responsible for providing detailed information to students and parents/guardians describing the event or activity and the appropriate attire for the event or activity.
The Trenton Board of Education recognizes that a student shall not be penalized academically or otherwise discriminated against nor denied admittance to school if the student’s parent/guardian chooses not to comply with the school uniform policy;
The Trenton Board of Education recognizes that a school uniform policy will not preclude students, who participate in a nationally recognized youth organization, from wearing organization uniforms to school on days that the organization has a scheduled meeting;
The Trenton Board of Education recognizes that a school uniform policy will not preclude students who attend other accredited public or private schools from wearing the school’s uniform on days when they attend classes at those schools;
Male Students
Solid Khaki Bottoms
All male students will be required to wear pants of the appropriate size.
All male students will have the option of wearing shorts of the appropriate size during the months of May, June and September. All shorts cannot be more than two (2) inches above the knee.
All male students will be required to wear their bottoms with a belt properly at the waist. Pants with elastic at the waist, that do not require a belt, may also be worn.
All bottoms will be required to be hemmed and free of logos, insignias, cargo pockets, slits, holes, tears and cuts.
Solid Powder Blue Tops
All male students will be required to wear either a short or long sleeve dress shirt or pullover, button front, collared sport shirt of the appropriate size.
All male students will have the option of wearing a long sleeve mock turtleneck or turtleneck of the appropriate size.
All male students will be required to tuck in their tops into their bottoms.
All male students will have the option of wearing a sweatshirt, sweater, cardigan or sweater vest of the appropriate size over their dress shirt, pullover, button front, collared sport shirt, or turtleneck (optional). If the sweatshirt, sweater, cardigan or sweater vest is worn over a dress shirt or pullover, button front, collared sport shirt, the collared will be required to be visible.
All tops will be required to be free of logos, insignias, slits, holes, tears and cuts.
Female Students
Solid Khaki Bottoms
All female students will be required to wear either jumpers, skirts, pants, or skorts of the appropriate size. All jumpers will be required to be a maximum of two inches above the knee.
All skirts, shorts, jumpers and skorts cannot be more than two (2) inches above the knee.
All female students will have the option of wearing shorts of the appropriate size during the months of May, June and September.
All female students will be required to wear their bottoms properly at the waist. Pants with elastic at the waist, that do not require a belt, may also be worn.
All bottoms will be required to be hemmed and free of logos, insignias, cargo pockets, slits, holes, tears and cuts.
Solid Powder Blue Tops
All female students will be required to wear either a short or long sleeve dress shirt or pullover, button front, collared sport shirt of the appropriate size.
All female students will have the option of wearing a long sleeve mock turtleneck or turtleneck of the appropriate size.
All female students will be required to tuck in their tops into their bottoms.
All female students will have the option of wearing a sweatshirt, sweater, cardigan or sweater vest of the appropriate size over their dress shirt, pullover, button front, collared sport shirt, or turtleneck (optional). If the sweatshirt, sweater, cardigan or sweater vest is worn over a dress shirt or pullover, button front, collared sport shirt, the collar will be required to be visible.
All tops will be required to be free of logos, insignias, slits, holes, tears and cuts.
Gym Clothes – Male & Female Students
The current practice for high school students will remain in effect.
Public Hearing
The Trenton Board of Education conducted a public hearing on school uniforms on February 21, 2008.
Uniform Cost Cutting Measures
The Trenton Board of Education may, at its sole discretion, establish a uniform exchange program to encourage uniform use and to help save money for parents/guardians. This uniform exchange program could involve all schools within the district and would allow parents/guardians to turn in old uniforms that are in good condition. Parents/guardians would then be permitted to obtain other used uniforms from the uniform exchange that would fit their child.
Legal References Policy 5133
N.J.S.A. 18A:11-1 General mandatory powers and duties
N.J.S.A. 18A:11-7 Findings, declarations relative school dress codes;
adoption of dress code policy for school permitted;
prohibition of gang-related apparel
N.J.S.A. 18A:11-8 Adoption of dress code policy for school permitted
N.J.S.A. 18A:37-1 Submission of pupils to authority
N.J.S.A. 18A:37-1 Submission of pupils to authority
Revised March 6, 2008
1st Reading: April 14, 2008
2nd Reading: April 28, 2008
Board Approval Date: April 28, 2008