Richmond |
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By FULLER ROYAL Walk onto the Richmond Senor High School campus and you will find 1,600 students in grades 10 through 12 all clad in khaki pants, capris, shorts, skorts and skirts. Their tops are the school colors – Kelly green, gold or white. Other kids are wearing official school pride shirts, sweats, sweaters or jackets. “It’s made a tremendous difference in just how students behave in everyday settings,” said Assistant Principal Michael Chapman. Student behavior is improved and discipline problems are down. Chapman said that a recent picture day affirmed the belief in uniforms. Students were able to wear street clothes for their pictures and teachers reported some of the worst behavior of the year. The district has been in uniforms for five-plus years, Chapman said. He was in a neighboring school district when Richmond County moved to uniforms. His old district has since moved to uniforms. “It gets much easier as the years go by,” he said. “The initial implementation was difficult.” He said uniforms would not have worked had the community, schools and parents not pulled together to make it successful. Chapman said that the principal and assistant principals share the duties of enforcing the uniform policy. As for students who cannot afford uniforms, Chapman said, “I had less that 30 applications for uniform assistance out of a 1,600-member student body. Each year, that number drops.” Chapman is in charge of processing the applications for assistance. “Here in Richmond County we have two Christian clothing closets who take donated uniforms, recondition them and then issue them to needy families,” Chapman said. Chapman said that the biggest problem with students meeting the dress/uniform code is the variety of styles offered by so many vendors. He said that a store such as J.C. Penney or Wal-Mart will set up a display and advertise “school uniforms.” He said that parents see that and believe the items automatically meet the standard. He said that, increasingly, the argument is being made to go with one vendor to avoid confusion. “As of yet we haven’t moved forward with that idea because we are very conscious of our relationships with the businesses in this county,” Chapman said. The schools provide a vendor’s list of area stores that sell uniforms or uniform parts. The school allows no sandals or flip flops because most the of campuses have stairwells and that’s where most of the accidents occur with those types of shoes, said Chapman. “They must be closed-toed shoes and they must have a back,” he said. No book bags are allowed. Students may bring them to school, but they must remain in the locker all day. Chapman said the school uses a common sense approach to purses. If they are large enough to hold a book, then they are considered a book bag. He said that the more cumbersome the policy, the less time there is for teachers to teach. Shirts Shirts must be golf or polo style with a collar. It must have buttons only (two to four on polo style shirts). Shirts must be free of labels and graphics of any kind. Shirts must be tucked in at all times with the exception of approved sweatshirts. Solid, hoodless, short or long sleeve, crewneck sweatshirts. T-shirts can only be worn as underclothing if it matches the school colors. T-shirts are not allowed to be worn as the primary shirt. Writing or graphics must not show through the top garment. All bottom garments must be khaki in color. No other colors may be visible. Bottom garments must be free of labels and graphics of any kind. Garments cannot have frays and must be hemmed and not dragging the floor. Pants must be worn above the hips at all times. Pants are limited to no more than two front and two rear pockets. Watch pockets are not considered a pocket. Form fitting spandex material, nylon, denim, corduroy and sweat pants are prohibited. Skirts are limited to no more than four pockets. Garments may not have more than two slits and the slits cannot exceed four inches above the knee. Shorts cannot be shorter than four inches above the knee and may be worn at the discretion of the parent and student. Capri pants are allowed but cannot be hip huggers, cannot be skin tight and the manufactured slit at the bottom of the Capri pants cannot be above the knee. Pants may not have a slit that exceeds four inches from the bottom of the pant leg. Pants may not be rolled up in a cuff to simulate Capri pants or shorts. One-piece jump suits are not allowed. Belts Students in grades four through 12 must wear belts if the garment was manufactured with belt loops. Pre-K-3 students are not required to wear a belt. Belts or waistbands must be visible with shirts tucked in except when approved sweatshirts are worn. Belts must be black, brown, or khaki. Graphics, metal decorations (spikes and studs), or labels are unacceptable on all belts and belt buckles. Shoes Some type of footwear must be worn at all times. Shoes must have manufactured backs or heel straps. Shoelaces must be tied at all times. Shoelaces must be white, black, or match the color of the shoes. Shoe laces must match and any straps must be secured. Overcoats Overcoats may be worn to school and placed in the student’s locker for the entire day. Light-weight Jackets The jacket must be in school colors and be one solid color. The jacket cannot have any labels, artwork, or graphics with the exception of school pride wear and may be worn during the day during cold weather. Hooded jackets are prohibited. Hats and Sunglasses Hats, sunglasses, do-rags, sweat bands and head bands or other items that may be seen as a disruption to the school setting are prohibited in school from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Students whose religious tenets require the wearing of yarmulkes, heads carves, etc. will not be prohibited from wearing those items. Socks Both socks must match. Socks must be worn in a manner that does not undermine the integrity of the uniform. Socks must be white, black, or of one solid school color. Socks may not be worn over pant legs. Personal Appearance Combs and other hair grooming items cannot be visible in the hair. All necklaces/medallions must be worn under clothing. Piercing cannot present a health hazard or cause a disruption to the school environment. Miscellaneous School pride apparel may be worn as a part of the approved uniform. Uniforms may not be used as a fund-raising activity. Principals have the discretion to designate “picture days” and other days deemed appropriate to enhance or supplement learning as non-uniform days. Secondary students who fail to wear the approved uniform on a given day will be placed in ISS until parents provide the uniform. Repeat offenders will be dealt with at the discretion of the principal. Parents who need financial assistance may submit their request on the appropriate form to the principal and the School Uniform Committee. A decision will be made and provided to the parent in writing. School uniform information, the dress code policy and vendor list will be provided for parents when the new school year begins, when a student enrolls or when revisions are made to the uniform policy. Any item that is worn to school must not undermine the integrity of the Uniform Policy, serve as a disruption to the educational process or present a health hazard to an individual or their peers.
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