Toombs County School System Dress Code (Grades K-12) 2021-2022

The Toombs County School System requires students to dress in a manner conducive to maintaining an academic focus. Therefore, student dress should reflect acceptable standards of neatness and modesty and should not distract from the education of students. The administration reserves the right to determine if a student’s dress, hairstyle, etc. are too casual, too revealing, or too distracting to be considered appropriate for school.

Tops

Long or short sleeved shirts, dress shirts, t-shirts, polo style shirts, sweaters, and sweatshirts which are size appropriate will be permitted. No sleeveless, halter, tank or spaghetti strap tops are allowed. No hostile or inappropriate graphics or language on shirts is permitted.

Shirttails must be below the waist line even with arms raised about the head or when the student is seated.

Shirts with deep scooped necklines will not be allowed.

Sheer fabric outer wear will not be allowed.

Jackets are permitted but may not be worn to cover inappropriate clothing. Trench coats are not permitted.

Bottoms

Pants, khakis, jeans, and athletic pants (e.g. warm-ups) that are size appropriate; worn at the waist, and are hemmed or cuffed are allowed. All students must wear bottoms snugly enough to keep them well above the hips.

In Grades 9-12, holes in pants must not extend more than 5 inches above the knee. Any holes that are present in the pants, more than 5 inches above the knee, must have clothing worn underneath.

In Grades 9-12, no bicycle or spandex shorts or jumpsuit may be worn.

Pajama pants are not permitted.

In GRADES 3-12, shorts that are size appropriate are permitted for students; however, they must be no shorter than 5 inches from the top of the knee. Dresses, jumpers, and overalls will be allowed.

In GRADES 9-12, dresses and skirts must be no shorter than 3 inches above the knee. Slits in skirts must not extend beyond 3 inches above the knee. Dresses, shirts, and skirts worn over tights/leggings must be long enough to cover the length of the fingertips when the arms are pointed down at the sides.

Shorts are permitted for students in Grades K-2; however, shorts must not be worn as to show any undergarments while sitting, standing, or bending.

In GRADES 3-8, dresses and skirts must be no shorter than 5 inches above the knee. Slits in skirts must not extend beyond 5 inches above the knee. Dresses, skirts, or shirts worn over tights/leggings must also meet the five-inch rule. If pants or shorts have holes that are more than 5 inches above the knee, shorts, tights, or pants must be worn underneath so that no skin is showing.

All pants, overalls, and jumpers must have all buttons buttoned and all fasteners fastened.

Only tops listed in the “tops” section above may be worn under jumpers and overalls.

Headgear

Headgear of any type is unacceptable; however, school administration has the right to reserve discretion of headgear within their building and will notify students/faculty within the student handbook of any exceptions to this rule. No hats, bandanas, sweat bands, hoods, knit caps or stocking caps may be worn anywhere on school grounds or buses. In Grades 9-12, headgear (hats) may be worn in the common areas of the school or in the classroom at teacher discretion.

Sunglasses are not permitted.

Shoes

Flip flops or slides of any kind are not permitted in Grades K-5. All shoes worn must be secured at the toe and heel with shoelaces tied, buckles secured, or Velcro fastened.

Bedroom shoes of any kind are not acceptable or any shoes of extended length (clown shoes) or height (not to exceed 2 inches).

Jewelry/Accessories

Chains hanging from pockets, dog collar-like necklaces, spiked collars, bracelets, studded anklets or belts are not permitted to be worn.

Gloves are not permitted in the building.

Belts must be flat with no symbolic message on the buckle or belt.

Any jewelry or accessories that create a distraction to the learning environment (as determined by administration) will not be permitted.

Hair

Hair must be free of curlers, picks, or combs at all times.

Hair must be of a natural human color (Grades K-5 only). Wigs may be worn if the student is medically fragile as noted by a physician’s statement, and the wig is necessary because of loss of hair.

Any hair style that may create a distraction to the learning environment (as determined by administration) will not be permitted.

General Guidelines for Students:

All clothing, bottom or tops, must have appropriate hems and no inappropriate holes, frays, rips or tears.

All clothing must be appropriately sized. No oversized or baggy garments (for example: pants must be worn at the natural waistline and not drag the floor). Clothing should not be excessively tight or form-fitting. As with all clothing decisions, administrators will have the final say as to whether a garment is too loose or too tight.

All garments should cover the body in an appropriate manner and not reveal the anatomy of the person other than the head and neck, or low extremities of the arms and legs.

No objects should be attached to clothing unless sponsored by the school (spirit ribbons, pins, patches, etc.) Clothing, jackets, jewelry, and accessories may not advertise anything associated with alcohol, tobacco, guns, violence, drugs, or gang-related activity, sexual connotations, or any item that creates a hostile or disruptive environment.

Cosmetics, including but not limited to eye make-up, nail polish and lipstick, can only be worn in a manner as to not draw excessive attention to the person.

Bandanas are not permitted.

Proper undergarments must be worn at all times. Undergarments must not be exposed.

In the event of a medical necessity, e.g. broken leg, 504 plan, IEP, the school or system administrator may take temporary variations in this policy.

A new student (one who has not previously enrolled) will be allowed five school days to make arrangements to conform to the system dress code.

School administrators may alter the dress code for special occasions or extracurricular activities.

DRESS CODE VIOLATIONS

Violation of the dress code will not be allowed. Offenders will be given a verbal warning by school personnel if the student simply needs to make an adjustment in the manner in which the clothing is worn.

If school personnel observe a violation of dress code that can’t be immediately corrected and a warning given, then a referral should immediately be written and sent to a school administrator. The school administrator will search the student’s discipline file for prior referrals and make a decision for punishment based on a progressive discipline plan concerning the dress code.

Consequences may include dress modification, parent contact to bring appropriate clothing, or ISS. A student’s refusal to comply with dress code, repeated offenses, or violations or a severe nature may result in progressive disciplinary action (i.e., Out of School Suspension).

The school does not wish to have to interrupt the student’s time in class or inconvenience parents by having to send a student home to change clothes or have clothes brought to school. For this reason, it is suggested that rather than wear clothing which is questionable and which might not be allowed, it would be better for students to wear clothing that is definitely within the outline of the dress code. The school earnestly asks for parents’ cooperation in this matter.