Gloucester County Christian School
Revised July 11, 2017
DRESS CODE FOR GLOUCESTER COUNTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
This dress code was drawn up to meet the Scriptural principles of God's Word so that our students, through their dress, may present an outward testimony in our present culture. We have considered practicality, comfort, modesty, and safety. Studies consistently show that when students are dressed neatly and cleanly, they do better in school. http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/school-uniforms/
We believe that any dress code should be in the framework of the following Scriptural guidelines:
1. Should glorify God. Colossians 3:17, I Cor. 10:31
2. Should be modest. Matt 5:28; I Timothy 2:9
3. Should be an example to the non-Christian community. Romans 10:11; I Thessalonians 5:22
All students in all grades are required to wear a uniform. Clothing may be ordered from Flynn and O'Hara Uniforms. Some items may be purchased elsewhere. Please ask the office staff for specifics.
All students are expected to be in school dress during school hours and when traveling to and from school by public transportation means. School dress is normally required for class trips, field trips, concerts, evening programs and other educational activities of the school unless the principal's permission is obtained for unusual circumstances.
When purchasing clothes or approving of your children's dress and grooming habits, please base your decisions on the standards of GCCS. Do not base them on what other students are said to be wearing. Students who imitate others with questionable dress create a problem for themselves.
Statements written in italics indicate a recent change.
BOYS
HAIR AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE
Hair must be neat, clean and styled, not to be worn below the collar, and not over or covering the ears, and if combed forward should not come below the eyebrow. Male students are expected to be clean shaven at all times. The hair cut on the sides must have a tapered look, not bushy looking. Crew cuts are acceptable. Sideburns must not go below the ear lobe. Boy's hair must not be dyed, colored, highlighted, bleached or altered in color in any way. Students that exceed the required time to get a haircut will be sent to the office to contact a parent to have the hair taken care of. See examples on the last page.
1. Shirt, pants, and jackets should be neat, clean, in good condition and not promoting non-Christian or anti-Christian themes.
2. The Flynn and O’Hara Navy V neck Cardigan is the only sweater to be worn. Previously purchased GCCS sweaters may be worn.
3. All boys are to wear a polo or golf type shirt. It can long or short sleeved and must have a collar. The colors are white, navy blue, light blue. It must be tucked in. T-shirts worn under a shirt must be plain white in color with no writing or pictures. A Flynn and O'Hara shirt is required for grades 9-12.
4. Turtlenecks may be worn by students in Pre-K through 3rd grade. Turtlenecks may only be worn under a sweater by 4th through 6th grade students.
5. Pants can be any "Dockers" style pants for grades PK-12. Navy blue or grey. Boys in grades PK-3 may wear Navy or grey shorts. Pants that have belt loops must be worn with a belt. Pre-school and kindergarten students are not required to wear a belt. Flynn and O’Hara pants are not required. Pants must be worn on the waist and not are allowed to be worn down below the waist.
6. Chains or similar accessories are not to be worn.
7. No blue jeans are permitted for regular classroom wear.
8. No tank tops, body or muscle shirts are permitted as outer wear for gym class.
9. Outer coats, sweatshirts or jackets are not to be worn in class or chapel without specific permission.
10. Hats are not to be worn in the buildings unless a day has been designated as “Hat Day” during spirit week.
SHOES, SNEAKERS, AND SOCKS
Shoes or sneakers may be worn as long as they are clean and neat and not torn. Socks must be worn at all times. No color requirement for socks. No sandals. No slippers or moccasins.
JEWELRY
Watches, ID bracelets, and rings are the only acceptable jewelry. One plastic theme wrist band may be worn. There will be no necklaces of any type worn by the boys, even if it is not seen. No ear rings while on school premises or at school functions off campus.
GIRLS
HAIR AND PERSONAL APPEARANCE
Hair should be feminine in style, clean, well-groomed, and kept out of the face. If colored, it may not be dyed to any unusual color or extreme. Make-up should not be excessive. Girls in Grades 6 and under are not permitted to wear any make-up.
DRESSES, SLACKS, AND JACKETS
The following guidelines are given:
1. Jumpers, skirts, blouses or sweaters are required.
2. Skirts or dress length should be modest.
a. Girls in Grades in Pre-school to 4-6 are to wear their hemline to the top of the knee. (No skorts)
b. Young ladies in Grades 7-12—The hemline of the skirt is to be at the middle of the kneecap or below when viewed from the front and the crease behind the knee when viewed from the back. It should be worn at the waist, not hiked up or rolled to make them shorter.
c. You may need to ask for an “extra length” skirt at Flynn and O’Hara to get the proper length skirt.
3 A shirt designed for our school with ribbing around the base is designed to be worn un-tucked. (Grades 7-12) Students in any grade that wears a school shirt with ribbing may wear it untucked. All buttons must be buttoned with the exception of the very top button. Sixth grade and under must keep the shirt/blouse tucked in if it is not the type with ribbing on the bottom of the shirt. Shirts with ribbing on the bottom in any grade and do not need to be tucked in.
4 Slacks or sweats may be worn to and from the school on very cold days under one's dress but must be removed before home room. Tights or leggings may be worn all day in grades Pre-school through six only.
5 Outer coats or jackets are not to be worn in class or chapel without specific permission.
6 No blue jean skirts are allowed. No faded, stone-washed, acid-washed material for skirts is permitted.
7 The sweater worn must be from Flynn and O’Hara. The Flynn and O’Hara Navy V neck Cardigan and pullover are the approved sweater styles. Previously purchased GCCS sweaters may be worn.
8 Accessories such as pins, bandanas, scarves, or sunglasses are not to be worn.
9 Shirts worn under a uniform shirt must be the same color as the uniform shirt. If wearing two shirts, the length of the sleeves should be the same.
10 Turtlenecks may be worn by Pre-K through 3rd grade students. Turtlenecks may only be worn under a sweater or shirt by 4th through 6th grade students. A turtleneck may be worn under a shirt by 7th through 12th grade students.
SHOES, SNEAKERS, AND SOCKS
1. No clogs, mules, high heels or work-boot type shoes are permitted. Girls in PreK-6th grade may onlywear winter boots from November 1st -March 31st. These dates may be adjusted if cold weather comes early or stays later. Winter boots (Ugg type) are permitted anytime during the school year for 7th-12th grade girls. Shoes or sneakers may be worn as long as they are clean and neat and not torn. The shoe must have a back.
2. Socks or stockings must be worn at all times. No color requirement for socks.
3. Sandals are permitted in warm weather (when announced by the Administration) but they must have a strap on the back. Socks or stockings do not have to be worn with sandals.
GENERAL – FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
Field Trips
Parents/chaperones involved in trips, or any school function, or related activity, should also follow the school's guidelines concerning the dress code. The classroom teacher will announce the specific dress for a field trip. This will be determined by the nature of the trip. An orange, field trip t-shirt is required for students in grades Pre-K(3) through First. It can be purchased from the school store.
Athletics
Physical Education clothes must be distinctively GCCS, clean, neat, and non-frayed. Boys may not take their shirts off in sports practice or in P.E. class. Shorts must be worn at the waist. Periodic inspections will be made, and points taken off the grade of those students who do not comply with GCCS standards. Spandex/Underarmor may be worn under P.E. or team clothes but may not be worn as an outer garment. Shorts worn in athletic practices must be at least fingertip in length.
Students in grades 2nd through 6th will need to purchase a gym shirt from the school store. Students in grades 2nd through 6th are to wear navy blue sweat pants or long navy blue shorts. (No spandex, biker shorts, cut-offs, or short shorts are permitted). School dress is worn for students under second grade.
All Physical Education clothing should be labeled with the student's last name clearly visible on the tag of the uniform. There should be no other writing on the uniform. The uniform should not be altered by cutting the sleeves or cutting to allow the midriff to show.
Formal Occasions
Special Events Attire: Students are to wear proper dress. Boys are to wear a shirt with a collar and dress type (school) pants. Girls are to wear a skirt or dress (knee length) with a modest neckline.
No tank type dresses or tops, shirt should have a type of sleeve. Students involved in the performance will be informed by the staff member in charge of the dress required for the performance.
Special Events include: Christmas Concert, Fine Arts Night, School play, Spring Concert, Sports award nights, and Graduations.
Casual Day Attire: The following items are permitted on days that have been designated as a "Casual Day". Top: Oxford or regular shirts, t-shirts, fleece pullovers, and sweaters. All shirts should have a wholesome print, or GCCS, college or professional team names only. Shirts should be modest in neckline and should be loose fitting.
Pants: Docker's type pants, slacks, capris, twill slacks, jeans (no skinny style jeans). All pants should be loose fitting. (no low ride pants)
Sports events, Retreat, Etc.
Non-uniform type of dress is permitted at school athletic events, some after school activities, the high school retreat and other events as announced during the school year. Casual dress is permitted for home games.
CASUAL DRESS/ HOME GAMES
The following items are permitted styles or garments: Docker's canvas slacks, jeans (not tight or low or with holes), khaki pants, sweaters (cardigan, tunic, crew), Oxford or regular shirts, below knee-length dresses or skirts, sweatshirt/hoodie. T-shirts (not white underwear type T-shirt) may be worn as the only shirt or top. Shirts, blouses, tops, sweaters or sweatshirts do not have to be tucked in.
The following items are NOT permitted styles or garments: tights, such as leotards, spandex, yoga pants, leggings, or stirrups, shorts, styles or clothes that could be immodest or sloppy, tank tops, sleeveless shirts, sweat pants, pajamas, flannel pants, guys’ jewelry.
BODY PIERCING/EARRINGS/TATTOOS
In light of the present cultural fad, the wearing of body piercing jewelry is not permitted. Ladies are permitted to wear two earrings per ear. Other than a lady’s ear, no other part of the body will have body piercing jewelry. Young men are not permitted to wear any similar jewelry or earrings. This applies to school hours or any school activity whether on or off campus.
Tattooing
New Jersey state law, statute number 2C:40-21, with reference to minors reads: A person commits a disorderly persons offense if he knowingly tattoos or engages in body piercing of a minor under the age of 18 years without first having obtained the written permission of the minor's parent or legal guardian or, if neither exists, a person who stands in place of a parent.
As a private Christian school, it is our policy to forbid students, regardless of age, to get tattoos.
[1] The tattooing of minors, without parental consent, is illegal in our state.
[2] This was forbidden among the people of God in the Bible (Leviticus 19:28), and such markings in antiquity among the heathen showed their allegiance to a false god.
[3] Much of the tattoo industry today is identified with a culture of rebellion.
[4] We do not deem it prudent for students to mark their bodies with any permanent image or words (1Corinthians 6:19-20).
If a currently enrolled student gets a tattoo (during or after the 2011-2012 school year), that student will be expelled from GCCS. If a student already has a tattoo, (as of the 2011-2012 school year) it must be declared to the principal by his/her parent and a decision by the school to allow enrollment or re-enrollment will be considered. A new student must inform the principal of a tattoo if one exists.
INFRACTIONS
Three dress code infractions in a marking period will result in a detention. Chronic dress code infractions may result in loss of privileges in addition to a detention.
Failure to follow dress standards on daily or special occasions that involve modesty will result in removal from class until the violation is corrected. Students in violation will be sent to the office until they comply with the proper dress. If the item is not taken care of by lunch time a detention will be issued. The student may need to be sent home if the problem cannot be remedied. A detention will also be given if a dress code violation is repeated during the same day. (For example, if a jacket is worn to several classes or the shirt is un-tucked twice in the same day.)