After announcing its new dress code policy, the Waynesville School District is offering some clarification to the set of rules.
The board of education voted June 17 to amend the current policy, prohibiting shorts and skirts above the knee, sleeveless tanks and other clothing styles.
Waynesville High School Assistant Principial Courtney Long, who will serve as WHS principial starting this school year, spoke about the changes, and talked specifically about the knee-length rule and sleeveless shirts.
Shorts and skirts should be knee-length or below, Long said, noting it should not be shorter than right above the knee cap.
Cap sleeve shirts will still be allowed, although tank tops, muscle shirts, halter tops and other sleeveless shirts are not.
“It makes it easier enforcement wise,” Long said, explaining the changes in the policy.
The dress code changes also create more equality among genders— whereas young women used to be able to wear tank tops, young men could not.
The policy extends to athletic attire, to an extent. Students won’t be allowed to wear their uniform to school, but that’s a policy that has existed for awhile, Long said.
“It’s appropriate for them to wear at that venue, at activities where they’re participating, but it’s not appropriate to wear them in the classroom,” she said, noting most athletes who wear their “uniforms” to school wear the provided warmup outfits.
While specific data wasn’t readily available on the number of times dress code issues have surfaced over the years, Long said it is an ongoing problem.
“We deal with a number of dress code issues. Once it’s addressed, they’re given an opportunity to correct it and return to class,” she said.
Student reaction to the change has been mixed. Some are receptive to the changes, but want the rules to be consistently applied, Long said.
She noted it was students who brought to the administration’s attention the matter of wearing athletic uniforms during school hours, and the warmup rule was made as a result.
And a district-wide uniform policy isn’t something that’s being considered, although some students have approached the topic.
“It is something that comes up from students,” Long said, explaining some students have moved in from districts where uniforms were required. While there’s also mixed emotions on that front, serious consideration is not being given to the issue currently.
Other points of clarification in the policy include the prohibition of scarves, which Long said specifically means head scarves, and excessive jewelry applies to anything that’s distracting to the educational process.
Additionally, a student may wear sleeveless attire if there is an item, such as a cardigan, over it.
Parents who have questions or concerns can contact Waynesville Middle School at 774-6198 or WHS at 573 774-6401.
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After announcing its new dress code policy, the Waynesville School District is offering some clarification to the set of rules.
The board of education voted June 17 to amend the current policy, prohibiting shorts and skirts above the knee, sleeveless tanks and other clothing styles.
Waynesville High School Assistant Principial Courtney Long, who will serve as WHS principial starting this school year, spoke about the changes, and talked specifically about the knee-length rule and sleeveless shirts.
Shorts and skirts should be knee-length or below, Long said, noting it should not be shorter than right above the knee cap.
Cap sleeve shirts will still be allowed, although tank tops, muscle shirts, halter tops and other sleeveless shirts are not.
“It makes it easier enforcement wise,” Long said, explaining the changes in the policy.
The dress code changes also create more equality among genders— whereas young women used to be able to wear tank tops, young men could not.
The policy extends to athletic attire, to an extent. Students won’t be allowed to wear their uniform to school, but that’s a policy that has existed for awhile, Long said.
“It’s appropriate for them to wear at that venue, at activities where they’re participating, but it’s not appropriate to wear them in the classroom,” she said, noting most athletes who wear their “uniforms” to school wear the provided warmup outfits.
While specific data wasn’t readily available on the number of times dress code issues have surfaced over the years, Long said it is an ongoing problem.
“We deal with a number of dress code issues. Once it’s addressed, they’re given an opportunity to correct it and return to class,” she said.
Student reaction to the change has been mixed. Some are receptive to the changes, but want the rules to be consistently applied, Long said.
She noted it was students who brought to the administration’s attention the matter of wearing athletic uniforms during school hours, and the warmup rule was made as a result.
And a district-wide uniform policy isn’t something that’s being considered, although some students have approached the topic.
“It is something that comes up from students,” Long said, explaining some students have moved in from districts where uniforms were required. While there’s also mixed emotions on that front, serious consideration is not being given to the issue currently.
Other points of clarification in the policy include the prohibition of scarves, which Long said specifically means head scarves, and excessive jewelry applies to anything that’s distracting to the educational process.
Additionally, a student may wear sleeveless attire if there is an item, such as a cardigan, over it.
Parents who have questions or concerns can contact Waynesville Middle School at 774-6198 or WHS at 573 774-6401.
