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NS has implemented new changes to the school dress code starting the beginning of the 2024-25 school year. The changes came about through conversations with the NS association and principals. The changes were then approved March 19 after being reviewed by the school board.
Individuals can now attend school wearing sleeveless shirts and shorts that are mid-thigh. The staff and student dress codes were also combined.
“Previous to this last change, there were two different dress codes,” Principal Christine Straatman said. “There was a dress code for employees and there was a dress code for students. Part of the change that was made was to combine those two dress codes.”
With a more casual policy, it is important that it is being precisely followed.
“This is my job, I tell people what they should be reading in the policy,” attendance secretary Teri Anderson said. “It’s not three fingers to a shirt, it is called a sleeveless shirt. A sleeveless shirt has a full shoulder cover.”
Although the policy is more lenient, teachers are still encouraged to dress in a way that promotes professionalism.
“With this change in allowing the shorts, I gave them some guidelines on what type of shorts that should be,” Straatman said. “Let’s not come in holey jean shorts and t-shirts. If we’re going to [wear shorts] we’re still going to look professional because we are the adults in the building.”
With a more relaxed dress code, students can better express themselves and their personalities.
“I feel that dress is our biggest form of self-expression,” junior Beau Johnson said, “and I think putting rules and regulations on that is entirely taking away a voice that students could have… I think that some rules and regulations may be too strict and I think they should be relaxed to give the students more of a voice.”
Some students feel that these changes to the dress code will only encourage students to disregard the policy.
“At my old school, people would always push the dress code,” sophomore Soraya Zubeldia said. “Now that tank tops are allowed people are going to start wearing spaghetti straps or maybe even strapless. That’s not good, that’s not good for a school environment.”
Others like a more relaxed dress code as it allows them to find clothes more easily.
“It is so difficult to find clothing because so many schools have gotten rid of the dress code,” senior Maren Maynes said. “It’s so difficult to find clothes that are still trendy and in style but still follow the strict dress code of certain schools.”
