Dress Code

Bolton Central School is preparing students for their future entrance into the world of higher education and work, having good judgment for appropriate attire in the these settings is an important skill in that preparation. With that in mind, all students should wear clothing and accessories, which are appropriate in a public school setting. Students and their parents have the primary responsibility for acceptable student dress and appearance.

Teachers and all other district personnel should exemplify and reinforce acceptable student dress and help students develop an understanding of appropriate appearance in the school setting, which includes concerts, sports banquets, and school dances, except for semi-formal or formal dances and where otherwise specifically indicated by teacher or coach. The Office of the New York State Commissioner of Education has established the following guidelines for dress:

• Decency:

1. Recognize that extremely brief or revealing garments such as spaghetti straps (3 finger rule), tube tops, net tops, halter tops, plunging necklines (front and/or back), see-through garments, pajamas, and slippers are not appropriate.
2. Off-shoulder garments must be worn with acceptable top underneath.
3. No bare midriffs, which means when standing, walking, or sitting, tops must meet bottoms.
4. Dresses and skirts must extend beyond the length of student’s knuckles (closed hand) with arms extended at your side with shoulders relaxed. Shorts must also extend beyond student's knuckles, with shoulders relaxed and hands closed.
5. Ensure that underwear is completely covered with outer clothing and no skin is exposed between the underarms and upper thigh.

• Health: Clothes should be appropriately clean, presentable and odor free.
• Safety: Shoes must be worn. Dangerous objects not allowed, i.e., long chains, spiked jewelry, etc.) Heels must not be more than three (3) inches long.
• Clothing which is disruptive to the educational process will not be permitted to be worn by students in school or on the school premises.
• A student’s dress, grooming and appearance, including hair style/color, jewelry, make-up and nails, shall not include items that are vulgar, obscene, libelous or denigrate others on account of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability; nor promote, display and/or endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs and/or encourage other illegal or violent activities.

• Hats or hoods are permitted during the academic day. However, they may not cover a student’s face and must be appropriate for school and an academic environment. Teachers have discretion on whether or not to allow hats in their own classroom.

• Sunglasses will not be permitted unless prescribed by a physician.

Students who violate the student dress code shall be required to modify their appearance by covering or removing the offending item and, if necessary or practical, replacing it with an acceptable item. Any student who refuses to do so shall be subject to discipline up to, and including, out of school suspension for the day. Any student who repeatedly fails to comply with the dress code shall be subject to further discipline as per the BCS Code of Conduct, up to and including out of school suspension.

PLEASE NOTE:
Students who violate the student dress code shall be required to modify their appearance by covering or removing the offending item and, if necessary or practical, replace it with an acceptable item. Any student who refuses to do so shall be subject to discipline up to, and including, out of school suspension for the day. Any student who repeatedly fails to comply with the dress code shall be subject to further discipline, up to and including out of school suspension.