The three Newton-Conover City Schools elementary principals said they were in support of a standardized dress code at the board of education meeting Monday night.
The school system first publically proposed the idea in February of expanding its standardized dress code that is already in place at the middle school.
Thornton Elementary Principal Tammy Brown, South Newton Elementary Principal Julia Styers and Patrick Nelson spoke jointly at the board meeting. Nelson spoke for Shuford Elementary, since he was familiar with the community and staff input, although it was announced Monday that he would be the principal of Newton-Conover Middle effective immediately.
“As a team, we all agree with (the dress code),” Nelson said. “We’ve seen it at the middle school and it’s phenomenal. They look at shoes and they look at dress, even at the elementary school. There’s bullying that goes on, even at the elementary school.”
Brown said she thought having a standardized dress code would take the students to a new level.
“They would be able to strive more on academics,” she said. “We do have students who look at each other and say, ‘Why can’t I have what you have?’ You shouldn’t have to worry about clothes.”
Nelson said the parent input has been positive.
Shane Whitener was the assistant principal at Newton-Conover Middle during the roll out of the dress code. He will now be at Shuford Elementary. He said having the dress code at elementary schools will make the transition to middle school much easier.
The proposed elementary school dress code has a few changes from the middle school one. In addition to the red, white and navy polo or Oxford shirts middle school students wear, the elementary dress code also offers yellow or green as options. These are also the colors for the sweatshirts or sweaters, as well.
Otherwise, the dress code is almost identical to the middle school dress code. No exceptions were made for the required belt, which one parent voiced concerns about for kindergarteners at a community meeting. Elementary students are also expected to wear close-toed shoes with backs. The shoes must be “buckled, tied or otherwise fastened.” Velcro is not mentioned.
The board will vote on the standardized dress code at its Sept. 12 meeting. If it’s approved, it will begin in the spring 2012 semester.
Brown told the board that some parents told her they have already purchased clothes that fit the dress code.
“Parents are saying, ‘If we’re going to do it, let’s do it,’” Nelson said.
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