Student Dress Code Policy

The following guidelines are intended to define appropriate student attire and personal grooming for students at Howard Gardner Community School. The purpose of our dress code is to enhance the classroom atmosphere, encourage appropriate dress for the workplace in the future, and minimize student distraction, so as not to interfere with the educational process. It is also intended to help protect the health, safety, and welfare of the individual student.

This dress code shall be in effect on campus during school and school sponsored activities except where modified by the site administrator for specific extracurricular activities or in special cases. The HGCS staff and administration reserve the right to determine clothing which disrupts or detracts from the educational environment. This dress code is gender neutral. Clothing may be of any fashion, style or design, as determined by the student and the student’s parents/guardians.

School Attire:

• Tops (i.e.: shirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, dresses, etc.): No tops may be sheer or expose undergarments. No strapless, spaghetti straps, racer-back, or off the shoulder tops. No shirts may be worn that expose bare midriff or cleavage.
• Bottoms (i.e.: pants, leggings, skirts, shorts, dresses, etc.): Bottoms must be worn above the hip and underwear should not be visible. Belts must be worn with bottoms that are too big to fit securely around the student’s waist. All bottoms must be fingertip length or four (4) inches above the knee without leggings or stockings. The following are not permitted: fishnet stockings, sagging pants, or bottoms with extensive rips.
• Hats/Hoods: Hats, beanies, or hoods are allowed to be worn in the classroom or school buildings appropriately at staff discretion.
• Shoes: Appropriate shoes must be worn which include: sandals with a heel strap, tennis shoes, shoes with laces, and slip on shoes. The following shoes are not permitted: high heel or platform shoes, shoes with grind plates, shoes with wheels, slippers, or flip-flop sandals.
• Accessories: The following are not permitted: wallet chains, hoop earrings or spiked bracelets.
• Grooming: Hair, sideburns, mustaches, and beards may be worn at any length or style.

No clothing, jewelry, accessories, or hairstyles which are, or include, a picture, writing, or insignia which is: (1) gang related; (2) presents a safety hazard to the wearer or others; (3) advertises or symbolizes any type of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or gambling; (4) includes weapons or acts which are illegal, violent, obscene, or hazardous to one’s health; (5) sexually suggestive, crude, vulgar, profane; discriminatory, obscene, contain threats, libelous; or (6) offensive or degrading to students or staff on the basis of gender, cultural, religious or ethnic values.

Notification of the Student Dress Code:

Parents and students will be provided notice of the Charter School’s dress code at the beginning or the school year and/or upon enrollment. This information will also be located within the Charter School’s Parent/Student Handbook.

Dress Code Violations:

If a Charter School staff member determines that a student’s attire is inappropriate or disruptive to the educational environment as described hearing, the following may occur:

• The student may be asked to briefly leave class to change clothing to align with this dress code.
• The Charter School may confiscate items that violate the dress code.
• The Charter School may notify the student’s parents/guardians of the dress code violation(s).
• The Charter School may schedule a conference with the student’s parents/guardians to discuss the dress code violation(s).
• Students may not be disciplined or penalized academically as a consequence for wearing “inappropriate” attire.