Melrose Elementary School

 Appropriate Dress
Inappropriate clothing and appearance are disruptive to the school program and the Principals will enforce adherence to this policy by those under their jurisdiction. Each school may provide for more specific dress code requirements within the scope of this district-wide dress code and shall provide each student with a copy of their school’s dress code. School administrators have discretion and final authority to decide if clothing complies with District rules. When it is
determined that a student’s clothing does not comply with the dress code, a parent/guardian may be asked to bring an appropriate change of clothes to school. The student may, with parental permission, be sent home in order to change clothes. In addition, the student may also receive a disciplinary consequence for violating the school’s dress code policy.
No student shall:
a) Wear inappropriate clothing according to the situation and the grade level involved.
b) Wear clothing of inappropriate size as determined by the Principal or designee exercising his or her judgment. The size of shirts and pants shall be appropriate to the student’s body size and shall not be unduly oversized or undersized.
c) Wear pants so that the waistband is below the waist.
d) Wear clothing, jewelry, buttons, or other attire, which are offensive, suggestive, disruptive, or indecent such as:
o Clothing or jewelry associated with gangs.
o Clothing or jewelry encouraging the use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco/vaping, or violence.
o Clothing or jewelry associated with discrimination on the basis of age, color, disability, national origin, sexual orientations, marital status, race, religion, or sex.
o Clothing exposing the torso or upper thighs such as see-through garments, mini-skirts or mini-dresses, halters, backless dresses, tube tops or tank tops without over shirts, spaghetti strap garments without over shirts, bare midriff outfits, or shirts or blouses tied at the midriff.
o Clothing not properly fastened or with tears, holes or rips upon the discretion of the principal.
o Clothing or outer garments traditionally designed as undergarments such as boxer shorts or sleepwear.
o Clothing or footwear that is construed by the Principal or designee as hazardous or dangerous to health of the student or others.
o Hats, headgear, or any head covering worn inside, except when approved by the Principal.
For safety and employment training purposes, students enrolled at the vocational-technical programs will wear the uniform of the program. If there is no uniform this rule shall apply.
Students entering the Putnam County School District for the first time during the school year shall be granted a grace period up to fifteen (15) school days before being required to comply with the uniform dress code.
Exceptions to the dress code shall be permitted when a student wears a uniform of a nationally recognized youth organization, such as the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, on regular meeting days or a student wears a costume or special clothing necessary for a school play or other school-sponsored activity as permitted by the Principal.
PCSD Student Code of Conduct 12 www.putnamschools.org
The wearing of clothing in compliance with the dress code violated a student’s sincerely held religious belief, and then such students and the student’s parent/guardian shall submit a signed affidavit setting forth the religious issue and the requested exemption to the rule. A student’s parent/guardian requests a reasonable accommodation to address the student’s disability. Such request shall be reduced to writing and submitted to the Principal for approval.
This rule shall apply to students at all times when they attend school or any school-sponsored event during the school day. The Principal may exercise discretion and permit exceptions to this policy for extracurricular activities. This rule shall be applicable in its entirety, except where a specific section may be directed toward a select group of students. All persons’ subject to this policy shall comply with all sections of it. Wearing apparel, which tends to identify association with secret societies as prohibited by Florida State Statutes, shall not be worn. Some programs may require uniforms.  Continued enrollment in these programs shall be contingent on the student adhering to all uniform requirements and standards.