Correia Dress Code Policy

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Correia Dress Code Policy

• Making a Difference

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How it began . . .

• Four years ago, parents met with Correia staff
  and administration to come up with a way to
  create a safer and better learning environment at
  the school and dispel the many negative rumors
  that had circulated in the community for years.
• Statistics on the positive impact of a specific
  dress code at school sites led them to coordinate
  the implementation of a dress policy as one of
  the solutions.

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Suspension Rates

• 2001/2002   371
• 2002/2003   271
• 2003/2004   154
• 2004/2005   142

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What has made the difference in the suspension
rates?

• Hiring a full-time security person who is a
  friendand mentor to the students
• Creating an In-School Suspension area, staffed
• Organizing Correia Corps. parents who provide
  extra sets of eyes and ears before and after
  school and during lunch
• Implementation of a Colors and Collars dress
  policy.

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First Year . . . 2004.05

• The first year, students were to wear
• shirts with collars and sleeves, long or
• short and navy, white or gray in color
• bottoms any appropriate style,
• khaki or navy blue in color
• Occasional free dress days,
• about 5 during the school year
• Outer wear could be the choice
• of the student as long as it was
• appropriate

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Feedback from parents . . .

• Casual Fridays
• T-shirts with logos
• Add black pants/shorts

Parent and student collaboration led to these
changes for the 2005-06 school year.
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Second Year . . . 2005.06

• Tops Logowear t-shirts
• or Polo style shirts in
• navy, white or gray
• Bottoms black, navy
• or khaki colors
• Every Friday is a
• free dress day

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Logowear is available for sale at very low
prices.
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Why have a "dress code"?

• The a "dress code" have reduced the amount of
  time spent by teachers enforcing appropriate
  dress
• Students look like they are ready to be in a
  learning environment
• Their attitude is more focused on learning

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• Correia teachers and staff have noticed a big
  difference in the school environment
• Our new Superintendent, Carl Cohn, implemented
  this policy in the Long Beach School District ten
  years ago, grades K-8, obviously recognizing the
  merits of a "dress code".

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Two ways of looking at this . . .

• My child will not be an individual if he/she
  follows
• this dress policy.
• 1. My student gets straight As and has good
  citizenship. The
• uniform policy is not needed in our family.

• 2. The outerwear is individual and the brands
  and styles allow for individuality.
• 2. The exemplary students are the ones who can
  be role models by supporting this school policy
  which is making the school a better place.

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Two ways to look at it . . . cont

• 1. All parents should simply enforce a dress code
  from home.
• 1. People stood up for their causes in the 60s
  and fought for individual rights. Our students
  are in a public school and shouldnt be told what
  to wear.

• 2. Realistically, that does not happen and many
  students attend school dressed in revealing
  clothing, sagging or in gang colors, etc.
• 2. This is a cause that students should take
  pride in and be part of because it benefits an
  entire school and community.

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• This policy has added to the success of Correia -
• suspension rates are down,
• students are behaving in a respectful manner,
• the campus is a safer place since students are
  easily identified, and
• with the changes made for this year . . .there is
  only one thing that will undermine this policy .
  . . . . . . . families obtaining waivers.
• Students with waivers will only increase the
  numbers of students wanting waivers . . . this is
  what happened last year.
• This policy will only be successful if we all
  recognize the merits and support it.

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Shopping for uniform pieces . . .

• Clothing can be found easily and are affordable.
  
• Mervyns, Target and Costco all have items that
  will work.
• For students who cannot afford to buy uniform
  clothing, donations are made throughout the year
  and the counselors work with students and
  families to make sure they have what they need.