FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 13, 2016
At the May 12, 2016 meeting, the Board of Education approved the 2016-2017 Students’ Rights, Responsibilities, and Code of Conduct.
The most significant changes in the document involve the student dress code. Kim Roof, Director of Student Services, said the system carefully considered input from students when revising the guidelines. At the Student Town Hall Forum held earlier this year, middle and high school students spoke persuasively about the need to update the dress code to reflect current styles. Consequently, leggings are no longer prohibited. Skirts, skorts and shorts must be longer than the longest fingertip when students stand with arms fully extended downward at their sides, rather than being required to be no more than three inches above the knee. This adjustment, said Ms. Roof, allows for differences in body proportions rather than relying on an arbitrary measurement.
Minor adjustments were made to the attendance policy. The Code now stipulates that attendance is taken every day that school is in session. Students who leave early, come in late or fail to attend school the last several days school is in session will be marked accordingly. “It’s essential for safety purposes,” said Ms. Roof, “that we have an accurate record of who is and is not in our schools at all times.”
The Students’ Rights, Responsibilities, and Code of Conduct was revised based on research of policies in other school districts in addition to input from staff, students and community members. The document was presented to the Board of Education for review at the April 14, 2016 meeting. The Board received public comments through May 11 and considered the community responses prior to approving the Code.
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