CPSB Uniform Policy

DRESS CODE EFFECTIVE 2006-2007 SCHOOL YEAR
 

Guidelines for acceptable, normal, good grooming should be taught and enforced in the home by the parents as part of their responsibility in training their children for responsible citizenship.

All students are expected to be responsible in their dress and grooming by avoiding extremes and manifesting self-discipline with regards to these regulations. Cooperation of parents is expected.

The policy of the Calcasieu Parish School Board shall be that no mode of attire will be considered proper for school wear that distracts or disrupts classroom and school decorum. The Board feels it is the responsibility of each student to use good judgment in one’s total appearance so that the attention of others is not distracted from the purpose of school. Cleanliness shall be a basic consideration. For health and safety reasons, students must wear shoes to school.

Any substantial complaint concerning the dress code shall be dealt with by the school administration.

SCHOOL UNIFORMS

Students attending Pre-K-12 schools in Calcasieu Parish shall be required to wear official school uniforms. Uniforms shall be the same for all schools, as follows:

• Uniform shirts will be white, hunter green or navy blue polo/golf style shirts (short or long sleeves with a collar) or shirts that button down the front with a collar. No emblem, logo, decoration, or decorative trim is allowed. High School and Middle School Administrators have the option to choose a uniform shirt in one of the school’s colors.
   
• White, hunter green or navy blue, turtlenecks with no emblem, logo, decoration, or decorative trim are acceptable. Turtlenecks can be worn separately or under uniform shirt
   
• T-shirts (solid white, hunter green, or navy blue) will be allowed under the uniform shirt.
   
• Spirit shirt/club shirt may be worn on day/s determined by the school administrator.
   
• Administrators may option to have students wear the official school logo on the school’s designated shirt.
   
• Shirts must be tucked in at all times.
   
• Khaki (shades may vary) or navy blue pants, skirts, shorts, skorts, or jumpers must be uniform style and color (no blue jeans, no corduroy or wind-suit materials, no sweat pants, no stretch pants or leggings, no spandex, no baggy pants, no bell-bottoms, no carpenter or cargo styles, no hip-huggers, no side-knee pockets). Emblems, logos, or decorations are not allowed.
   
• Shorts, and skorts must measure (front and back) no shorter than three inches above the knee. Skirts and jumpers must measure no shorter than three inches above the knee.
   
• Belts should be black, brown, navy blue, hunter green, or khaki with no emblem, logo or decoration and must be worn with slacks and shorts that are designed to have belt loops. Belts must be visible and worn around the waist. Belts are optional for pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade students.
   
• Socks (or stockings for girls) are required and should be hunter green, navy blue, khaki or white with no emblem, logo or decoration and must cover ankle and be visible. Middle and High School students are not required to wear socks or stockings with sandals.
   
• Appropriate shoes must be worn and do not include thongs. Sandals are not allowed in elementary grades.
   
• Acceptable outerwear for classroom is limited to include sweater, sweater vest, sweatshirt, and light jacket. During class time, jackets are to remain open – not zipped or buttoned. Colors for classroom outerwear include khaki, navy blue, hunter green and white. No emblem, logo, or decoration is allowed on classroom outerwear. The uniform shirt must be worn under outerwear.
   
• Heavy coats and jackets worn to and from school and/or outdoors are not restricted, but recommended to colors of navy blue, white, khaki and hunter green.
   
• No headwear shall be worn on campus with the exception of knit caps in extremely cold weather.
   

Other Dress Code Regulations:

• Prohibited items include bandannas, hair rollers, extremes in hair styles, psychedelic hair colors, lines, letters, or designs shaved in the head.
   
• Sunglasses, nose rings, visible body piercing, and excessive or inappropriate jewelry are prohibited.
   
• Prohibited items include excessive and inappropriate makeup, painted faces, inappropriate tattoos, and stick-on tattoos.
   
• Clothing worn is not to be suggestive or indecent.
   
• Clothing, jewelry, and general appearance are not to be of the type that would cause a disturbance or distract or interfere with the instructional programs.
   
• Clothing, jewelry, and general appearance are to be such as not to constitute a health or safety hazard.
   

Principals may declare spirit or club days and allow students to wear school spirit shirts, or dress up days (i.e., when school pictures are scheduled) or allow students to wear other uniforms such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, cheerleaders, band, chorus, etc. Other questions about uniforms should be referred first to the school authorities, then to the central office staff.
 

DISCIPLINE GUIDELINES FOR UNIFORMS:

All Pre-K – 12 schools in Calcasieu Parish will strive to achieve full compliance of the Dress Code Policy and should resort to disciplinary measures only when positive measures fail. The intent of this policy is not to prevent any student who is not in uniform from attending school. This policy is not intended to suspend or expel a student from class or from school or lower an academic grade as a result of not complying with the School Uniform Policy.

The following is a progressive disciplinary plan for students who are considered non-compliant with the Dress Code Policy and who have not been granted an exemption.

ELEMENTARY:

• 1st Offense - Written warning
   
• 2nd Offense - Phone call to parent/guardian
   
• 3rd Offense - Administrator or designee, parents, and student conference.
   

MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL:

• 1ST Offense - Written warning (Handbook)
   
• 2nd Offense - Phone call to parent/guardian
   
• 3rd Offense - Referral to ISI, C.A.R.E., or detention
   

Students shall not be considered in violation of the Dress Code Policy in the following instances:

• during the first five(5) school days after transferring from an out of the parish school
   
• when a student has been authorized by the school principal to wear something other than the approved school uniforms.
   
• when a parent has secured an exemption from the School Uniform Policy
   
• while an appeal of an exemption from the School Uniform Policy is pending;

Parent(s) or guardian(s) may request an exemption from the School Uniform Policy by submitting a written request to the school principal. Exemptions may be granted for religious reasons, medical reasons, or other justifiable reasons.

• A written request shall be submitted in writing using the Exemption Form.
   
• The Review committee shall meet with the parent/guardian to discuss the School Uniform Policy and request for exemption.
   
• The parent/guardian shall be notified in writing of the outcome of the conference.
   
• If the Review Committee does not grant the exemption, the parent/guardian may appeal the decision to the appropriate Director.