PTHS DRESS CODE

To Parents/Guardians:

There are many conversations with students about their clothing choices, where administration ends up having to justify and defend the clothing expectation guidelines to the students.  Balancing a student’s need to define their individual clothing style with an obligation to see that students are appropriately dressed for the school environment is a common challenge.  We are asking for your support as a parent in this matter, hoping that you will reinforce PTHS clothing expectations with your child.

The PTHS Student Handbook states: “It is the student’s responsibility to dress in a manner that is appropriate for school and is conducive to learning, without causing disruption to the classroom environment.  Clothing that is deemed offensive will not be permitted.  Students are expected to wear clothing that covers their bodies in an appropriate manner.  The school administration reserves the right to decide on an individual basis whether or not an article of clothing is appropriate for school”.   As administrators, we have clothing guidelines we follow in determining whether or not a student’s dress is appropriate for school.  It is difficult to have an all-inclusive list.  However, there are four basic principles:

• Students may not wear clothing which reveals a significant amount of skin, including but not limited to backless tops, tops which do not significantly cover midriffs and/or both shoulders, short-shorts, short skirts, skirts with high slits, low cut shirts that reveal cleavage or a significant portion of the upper chest.
• Students may not wear clothing that reveals undergarments, including boxer shorts or thong underwear.  This also includes the ‘saggy pants’ that could reveal undergarments.  Pants should be worn so that they are secured on the waist or upper hips.  Additionally, sheer clothes that reveal undergarments (or lack of) are not appropriate for the school setting.
• Students may not wear clothing that advocates or conveys alcohol or drug advertisement or usage, anything of a derogatory nature about any group of people, clothing with sexual innuendoes, double entendres, blatant sexual messages, or clothing with inappropriate language.
• Students may not wear any article of clothing that is deemed by the administration to be gang related.

When a student is referred to the office for dress issues, they are most often asked to change their clothing, turn a garment inside out, buy a belt to hold up their pants, and/or put on a jacket to cover an inappropriate top. 

They are always asked to please not wear that item or any similar item again to school.  Unfortunately, requests are often not complied with as far as continued wear of the same type of clothing.  Students who are dressed inappropriately for school will be asked to contact a parent and have appropriate clothing brought to them at school.  Students who are unable to comply with this will be sent home with a parent and allowed to return the next school day wearing appropriate clothing.   Absences due to clothing violations will not be school approved, and will count against our 12-day policy.  In the school’s effort to minimize this as a discipline issue, teachers will be reviewing dress code expectations with students in classes during these last two weeks before the holiday break.

To Students:

Please take a look at the outfits you are wearing to school.  If a student is wearing something that goes against the guidelines, we will talk to the student about it and document it.  The student will then need to call their parents to have appropriate clothes brought to school, or the student will be released to his/her parents to go home and return to school the next day dressed appropriately.  The absences received due to this will not be school approved and will count against the 12-day attendance policy.  If you have questions, please come and talk to Mr. Kent or Ms. Ehrhardt about it. 

So, help out with this please…

Those baggie pants that hang so low… Wear a belt and snug it up.  Problem solved.

That skimpy top with spaghetti strap strings for sleeves… layer it under a front button up sweater or shirt.

Those shorts that are a little too short… wear them on Saturday, not during school time.

A favorite t-shirt, sweatshirt, hat or fleece that just happens to make reference to sex, drugs, or alcohol… No.

Thank you for your support and understanding in helping everyone dress appropriately for school.