Keith Winslow
Our leadership class and our Making A Change (MAC) student group have attended trainings and are leading the way in an effort to make positive changes in our high school.
The two student groups, along with staff members, are working together to create a strong school environment where students, staff, parents, and community feel welcomed and valued.
One of the areas in which students and staff are paying more attention is with the dress code. Our high school has always had an appropriate school-age dress code but it becomes increasingly more difficult to enforce as fashion changes.
Many of the fashion changes mean more skin exposure. Shorter shorts, low-cut tops, tops on girls and pants on boys that allow undergarments to show are all examples of current fashion for adolescents. Shirts that advertise inappropriate language or behavior are also available.
All of these examples are substantial distractions to learning.
We hear quite often that these kinds of clothes are the only choices that high school students have to buy in the stores. When I shop and talk with parents, I see and hear that there are plenty of other choices for appropriate dress that are still fashionable for high school age.
We are asking our students to come to school dressed in a manner that is not a distraction and that does not draw added attention.
I want to share with parents and community that our staff does understand current fashion trends for our students and they also clearly understand the constant battles adolescents go through to fit in. I think all of us can remember that time in our lives.
It doesn’t make sense, however, to have a dress code if we are not willing to enforce it. I am asking parents to be aware of how their student is dressed before they leave for school. Short shorts, exposed cleavage and undergarments are not appropriate for school.
We will be enforcing our dress code here at the high school. Our expectation is that all students come to school dressed appropriately. We want to limit added distractions and provide each student the very best opportunity to learn and succeed.
We want students’ focus to be on learning. If your student is not dressed appropriately, please ask them to change into something more appropriate for school.
There are always going to be times when we miss something. Our intent is to be fair and consistent with the dress code. Our students and staff want to continue making positive change so they can enjoy their high school experience to the fullest.
We are asking for parent help in this matter.
Keith Winslow is principal of Sweet Home High School.