Dress Code (All Grade Levels)

Dress and Grooming (All Grade Levels)

The district’s dress code teaches grooming and hygiene, prevents disruption, and minimizes safety
hazards. Students and parents may determine a student’s personal dress and grooming standards,
provided that they comply with the following:

GENERAL
• All dress code decisions are at the discretion of the campus administrators.
• All clothing must be neat and clean.
• Pants with rips, holes, or tears (store-bought or self-made) must have a garment
underneath so that skin does not show.
• Any article or apparel which displays sexually suggestive expressions, profanity,
obscenity, drugs, alcohol, or tobacco is prohibited.
• Clothing shall be worn with proper underclothing at all times. Undergarments shall be
worn in such a manner as not to be visible.
• See-through apparel that exposes the body is not acceptable.
• Pajamas and house shoes are not permitted.
• Any color or combination of colors, which demonstrate an affiliation to a known gang, is
prohibited. If any students are using colors to demonstrate gang affiliation, such colors
may be banned at the discretion of the campus administrators.
• Additional dress and personal appearances requirements may be required by school
clubs, athletic teams, organizations, band, and any other extra-curricular or co-curricular
activities. (Example: hair length or style, required for school-sponsored trips)
• Principals may allow pre-determined dress code exceptions for special school days, for
example, Red Ribbon Week, Dr. Seuss Day, etc.

MASKS- Masks are required when so stated by the school board or its representative.

SHOES
• Properly fitting shoes must be worn at all times. Backless thongs (flip flops); beach
shoes, cleated shoes, and house slippers should not be worn.
• WOSE Students - Light-up shoes are permitted. However, shoes with wheels, along
with the shoes listed above, are not permitted.

PANTS, SHORTS, SKIRTS, AND DRESSES
• Pants and shorts must fit around the waist; baggy, sagging, low-riding or oversized
clothes are not permitted.
• Pants and shorts must be hemmed or cuffed at least knee length and fit securely at the
waist.
• No cut-offs are allowed (store-bought or self-made)
• All shorts, skirts, and dresses are to be knee length or longer.
• Leggings may be worn with an over-garment (shirt, skirt, or dress). The hem of the overgarment must be below the fingertips when hands are held straight down at the
 student’s sides.

SHIRTS AND OTHER TOPS
• Shirts, collared shirts, and blouses are not required to be tucked in the bottom garment.
This applies to t-shirts, collared shirts, blouses, sweaters, and pullovers. Sagging
beneath the shirt is NOT allowed and will be strictly enforced. Oversized shorts are not
allowed.
• Shoulders, backs, chest, cleavage, and midriffs must be covered.
• T-shirts, polo, collared blouses; button-down shirts, turtleneck/mock turtlenecks can be
worn.
• All shirts must be a minimum of a 2-inch sleeve from the shoulder seam without any
holes or slits. No open or cold shoulder shirts or blouses may be worn.
• Topcoats, trench coats, military (camouflage) attire and all black clothing together
(together means a top and bottom) may not be worn.
• Camisoles/undergarments (camies) will not be worn as a shirt; therefore, they must not
be visible.
• Shirts/blouse adequately covers body and undergarments. No part of the torso (front or
back) can be exposed. Spaghetti straps are prohibited.

HATS AND HEADGEAR
• No type of cap, hat, bandanna, headscarf, or sweatband may be worn at any time while
on campus. Exceptions would be a cap or hat that is a part of a uniform at a school
activity or head covering worn for religious purposes or medical reasons. The medical
reason for headgear requires a note from a physician.

HAIR
• Hair must be neat and clean.
• All facial hair must be neatly trimmed.
• Haircuts with a simple design are allowed but cannot be offensive or distracting. The
campus administration reserves the right to determine if a design or hairstyle is
appropriate.
• Compliance with hair expectations will be determined by the campus administrators.

JEWELRY, ACCESSORIES, BODY ART, AND PIERCING
• Students may wear traditional rings, watches, bracelets, and necklaces.
• Tattoos cannot be distracting and are subject to administrative approval or discretion.
• Any jewelry, body art, or piercing deemed by the campus administration to be dangerous
or a distraction to the learning environment is not acceptable.
• Eyebrows and facial piercings, as well as lips or tongue piercings, are not allowed.
• Nose piercings (WOSH only): Only (1) small piercing may be worn. Loops, studs or any
other oversized rings cannot be worn.
• Earrings are to be worn in ears only. No other forms of piercing are allowed at NELC,
WOSE, or WOSM.
• Attire, which may be used as a weapon, may not be worn (i.e., steel-toed boots, chains,
dog collars, or any items with spikes or studs).
• Mouth grills are not allowed
• Sunglasses should not be worn inside the building, except those which are medically
prescribed (a medical note from a physician may be required)

BACKPACKS - All backpacks for grades 3-12 must be see-through (clear or mesh) only.
Exceptions will be made for students who participate in school-sponsored organizations that
provide an organization backpack for participants.

If the principal determines that a student’s grooming or clothing violates the school’s dress code, the
student will be given an opportunity to correct the problem at school and return to class. If not corrected,
the principal will work with the student and parent to obtain an acceptable change of clothing for the
student in a way that minimizes loss of instructional time. The student may be assigned to in-school
suspension for the remainder of the day until the problem is corrected or until a parent or designee
brings an acceptable change of clothing to the school.

Repeated offenses may result in more serious disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of
Conduct.