Dress Code

The purpose of the dress code in the Kuemper Catholic School System is for the following reasons: 
1. To foster Christian respect and modesty. Parents are expected to help the school staff enforce the dress code policy.
2. To promote an environment conducive to study
3. To identify as one united school and to display one’s pride in their school. 
4. A student’s economic status should not be distinguishable based on attire. 
5. School dress should be more affordable. 
6. Any injured students who feel they cannot wear school uniform MUST meet with administration before coming to school. 

Again, parents and guardians must strive to understand and support the Dress Code. If there is a family reason for a student to be out of uniform, the parent or guardian must call the school office prior to the beginning of classes for the day. The school administration will have final discretion on what is appropriate or not appropriate for school. 

Uniform Tops: 
1. Polostyle with either a long or short sleeve. Polos may not have any manufacturer’s logo on the outside of the polo (i.e. Under Armour, Nike, Polo, or any                  Kuemper label, etc…) 
2. Polomustbewhiteorred, properly buttoned, with a collar. 
3. Poloswornby7-12graders must be of appropriate length so that they are tucked in at all times. This is also the recommendation for grades PK-6. 
4. Undergarments should not be seen under clothing. 

Uniform Sweater/Sweatshirts: 
1. Crewneck sweatshirt in red or gray with the approved Kuemper Shield on the left chest. 
2. ¼ zip sweatshirt in red or gray with the approved Kuemper Shield on the left chest. 
3. Long sleeve cardigan or V-neck sweater in red or white with the approved Kuemper Shield on the left chest. 
4. Hooded sweatshirts are not allowed as a school uniform. 

Uniform Bottoms:
1. Students must wear solid black, khaki or navy dress pants without elastic cuffs or made of jean materials. 
2. Dress shorts and capris may be worn until the last Friday in October and again after the first Monday in April. They must be of appropriate size, not rolled and      worn at the waist, hemmed, and not faded. 
3. All shorts must reach at least mid-thigh to be considered appropriate for school. Parents, shorts should be no shorter than 4 inches above the knee in length (think bermuda shorts when ordering). 
4. Solid black, khaki, or navy Polyester-blend skorts may be worn by girls in grades PK-12 without tights during short season and with tights during the remainder      of the year. Skorts must reach at least mid-thigh. (Skorts should be no shorter than 4 inches above the knee in length.) 
5. Solid black, khaki, or navy Polyester-blend skirts may be worn by girls in grades 7-12 without tights during the short season and with tights during the remainder of the year. Skirts must reach at least mid-length. (Skirts should be no shorter than 4 inches above the knee in length.) 
6. Shorts must be worn under the skirts.

Shoes: 
1. Students may wear either dress shoes or tennis shoes. 
2. No open-toe shoes are allowed. Socks must be worn. 
3. No Crocs, flip-flops, or slippers may be worn. 
4. When conditions dictate, students in grades PK-5 must wear boots during recess. 

Miscellaneous: Anything marked with an asterisk is also our school policy for attendance at school events such as games. 
1. *No clothing items that depict or promote the use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, political beliefs, or that demean another person are allowed. 
2. *No bare midriffs, spaghetti straps, or halter tops. 
3. No tank tops.
4. No leggings, jeggings, skinny jeans, or yoga pants. 
5. No hats or bandanas. 
6. Coats or jackets may not be worn inside during the school day unless approved by the principal or designee. 
7. Students in grades 7-12 are not allowed to have backpacks/book bags or purses in the classroom. A protective sleeve/device bag is acceptable for the grades 
    7-12 Bring Your Own Device initiative. 
8. Unacceptable body piercings include, but may not be limited to, eyebrows, lip, tongue, and nose. A clear spacer can be worn at school instead. This applies to all school activities. 
9. Tattoos are discouraged and must not be visible. This applies to all school activities. 10. 
10. Non-school-related buttons or stickers may not be worn during the school day. 
11. All hairstyles must have a well-maintained, conventional/natural color and cut that does not draw undue attention to the student. Boys’ hair needs to be              trimmed to be above the eyebrows and shirt collar and cannot go past the bottom of the ear lobe. Parents will be contacted when their son’s hair is at an            unacceptable length and must inform the school of the scheduled haircut appointment within 24 hours of being notified. 
12. Boys are to be clean-shaven with no noticeable stubble, mustaches, or beards. Boys will be required to shave at school if they choose to not be clean-shaven. 
13. Jewelry should be kept to a minimum, and the appropriateness shall be at the discretion of the administration. Excessive jewelry may be considered a safety           hazard, and students will be asked to remove it. 

The uniform is worn throughout the year unless an exception is made on a specific occasion. 

Casual Days: 
1. Jeans, athletic pants, shorts (during shorts season), and shirts without collars are acceptable. For the sake of modesty, the following items are not allowed regardless of the presence of a school logo or name: leggings (7-12), yoga pants (7-12), shorts that do not reach mid-thigh (no shorter than 4 inches above the knee in length), or tops that are low cut/very snug fitting. All clothing should be in good repair. Bottoms with multiple holes, exposing skin, are not appropriate for casual days. School uniform attire is always acceptable. 
          a. Any student wearing pants/shorts deemed inappropriate according to the handbook guidelines will be required to change into school-issued            sweatpants for the day. 
2. Those students who join in the spirit of a Casual Day may be expected to make a monetary contribution to support an approved charitable cause. 
3. The administration will jointly plan in advance all Casual Days. The majority of casual days will apply to Grades PK-12, but there are a few center-specific days. 

Kuemper Spirit Days: 
1. There will be periodic days known as Kuemper Pride days. Acceptable clothing on these days are any Kuemper top along with uniform or casual bottoms that meet the guidelines under casual day above. For the sake of modesty the following items are not allowed regardless of the presence of a school logo or name; leggings (7-12), yoga pants (7-12), shorts that do not reach mid-thigh (no shorter than 4 inches above the knee in length), or tops that are low cut/ very snug fitting. All clothing should be in good repair. Bottoms with multiple holes, exposing skin, are not appropriate for Kuemper Spirit days.