Standards of Appearance (Dress Code)

In order to provide a positive learning environment at NOW Academy, all students are expected to "dress for success". Our standard is that students are to dress as if they are going to work: student's job is to learn. In addition, we want to Provide for students' safety. The following standards are designed to promote learning and safety.  

1. Pants must be worn at the waist and must remain at the waist when the belt is removed.
2. Pants must be hemmed one inch above the ground and cannot be split at the seams or cut anywhere on the garment.
3. Both pants legs must be down and cannot be extra wide or extra long. 
4. Pants cannot be oversized.

1. Shorts, skorts and skirts may not be shorter than mid-thigh and must be a reasonable length.
2. Shorts must be worn at the waist and must remain at the waist when the belt is removed and may not reach below the bottom of knee.  (Shorts cannot be oversized.)

1. Belts are not acceptable if they hang more than three inches from the appropriate loop.
2. Belt buckles cannot contain any insignias or initials.

1. Shirts cannot contain any advertisements, caricatures, cartoons, images, and team or school logos (others than the NOW Academy logo, RFK logo or other logo sanctioned by the school.)
2. Shirts cannot be oversized.
3. Tank tops, sports jerseys, see-through tops, halter tops, or tops which expose the bare midriff or are low-cut are not permitted.
4. All middle school students must wear the middle school uniforms.
5. ALL SHIRTS MUST BE TUCKED IN.

1. Hats and caps are not to be worn by either boys or girls, except RFK and NOW gear.
2. No gang-associated hairstyle, extreme in hairstyle color or make-up.
3. No hair-rollers, scarves, hairnets or bandanas.

The following are not allowed:

1. Jewelry/accessories that constitute a safety hazard (i.e.. heavy chains, spike nose, lip or tongue rings/studs, large hoop earrings, studded apparel, etc.)
2. Any apparel, jewelry, accessory or inscription on personal belongings which could be construed as depicting or promoting violence, the illegal, the immoral, or the obscene, specifically those which depict or promote alcohol, drugs, tobacco, or obscenities.
3. Any apparel, jewelry, accessory, manner of groom in, to inscription on personal belonging which, by virtue of color, arrangement, or any other attribute, expresses or advocates racial, ethnic, or religious prejudice, or might tend to motivate students to commit acts that disrupt that orderly operation of the school.
4. Monikers, graffiti, patches, or inscriptions on clothing, body parts, accessories including backpacks.
5. Sunglasses or heavily tinted glasses.
6. For health and safety of students, body piercing is not allowed (with exception of ears).

1. All clothing must be clean and in good repair.
2. All students coming to school with inappropriate dress will require to change into school loaned clothing or the parent will be called to take student home to change.  REPEATED VIOLATION OF DRESS STANDARDS WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION (INCLUDING WARNINGS, CITATIONS, AND DETENTION).
3. THE ADMINISTRATION RESERVES THE RIGHT, IF NECESSARY TO ADD OTHER ITEMS TO THIS LIST OF PROHIBITED ITEMS, SPECIALLY ANY AND ALL ITEMS WHICH BECOME ASSOCIATED WITH GANG MEMBERSHIP AND/OR AFFECT THE SAFETY AND/OR SECURITY OF OTHERS.

Parents will be contacted if there is a violation of the Dress Code.

Attendance

Behavior

Dress Code

Academic Probation and Distinction

Disciplinary Consequences