The Patrick County School Board approved the Patrick County High School (PCHS) dress code as amended at its Thursday, August 8 meeting.
PCHS Principal Hope Perry said before the school year began, she thought she had created a dress code that would be accepted by the community, school staff, and students.
“I put it on Facebook and found out very quickly that I was the devil and the bane of many existences for my students. So, I said ‘okay, I did wrong.’ I talked to my staff, and I talked to parents, but I didn’t talk to” students, initially, she said.
On July 31, before the school year even started to discuss the school’s dress code, she brought in about 12 to 15 students from the PCHS Student Advisory Board, which is composed of former class officers, Student Government Association (SGA) officers, and current class and SGA officers.
“We had to come to a compromise, because it (the code) had to be something that we all could live with,” she said.
Student Advisory members Rylee Soliday and Dante Belcher then presented the compromised dress code to the board for consideration and approval.
For pants length, Soliday said the dress code originally stated they had to be mid-length on the students’ thighs.
“We thought it would be more applicable to do quarter-thigh. Mainly because it’s harder to find longer shorts these days and because it’s not in style anymore, so students don’t wear it,” she said.
Soliday said it’s also hard for taller students to find shorts that go to mid-thigh, and it is also harder for students who are shorter. Belcher said this also applies for students who have fuller figures as it’s harder for shorts to fit onto their bodies.
Belcher said another rule that pants or shorts with holes above the top quarter of the students’ thighs may not be worn and underwear must not be visible.
Soliday said another rule is that tops and shirts need to go up to the armpit and have straps.
“So, spaghetti strap tank tops wouldn’t be okay, but sleeveless shirts would be. It would also rule out wife beaters (style of shirt) and a lot of the shirts that guys like to wear that have cutouts and completely show everything,” she said.
Under the guidelines, Belcher said clothing must cover the midriff and navel. When discussing it with the PCHS faculty, Belcher said students would be given the opportunity to put a jacket on to cover the midriff area.
“You can wear the shirts if they are a bit higher, but you have to wear a hoodie to still cover your midriff and navel,” she said.
Soliday said clothing with suggestions of illegal substances or pieces with phrases or art that is considered lewd or violent will not be permitted. Shoes will be worn at all times in and around school buildings.
Except for pre-approved school events, costumes, full face paint, costume accessories, and props are not allowed due to safety issues. Soliday said this is why fishhooks on hats are also prohibited.
Hats, bandanas and other inappropriate headgear will not be allowed to be worn in the front office, cafeteria, auditorium, gym, or auditorium, Belcher said.
“We removed the part about headwraps and headbands” in this list “because headbands, we don’t even know why it was there and then headwraps, some headwraps are for your culture or your religion, and it seems insensitive to leave that in the dress code,” he said.
For increased safety in schools, Soliday said sunglasses are not permitted inside school buildings.
“Some teachers may not be able to recognize who a student is or some people who look really young all they’d have to do is put the sunglasses on. So, it’s a safety issue,” she said.
Belcher said dog collars, dog chains, pocket chains, and any type of chain or metal shouldn’t be on students’ or staff’s person as they can be used as weapons.
“We added that no blankets or coverings are permitted at school. Wear a hoodie or jacket,” he said.
A new bag policy for sporting events at Patrick County High School (PCHS) will take effect this year to increase safety for students.
Schools Superintendent Jason Wood said the policy will go into effect August 23, which is the first home sporting event. He added that the proposal was from PCHS principal Hope Perry and Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Terry Harris.
“Because in our new Three Rivers District, and also many of the schools in the Piedmont District, they have moved to a clear bag policy at sporting events and also making sure there’s not outside food allowed in an event,” he said.
Wood said the new policy is just another layer of safety.
“We’re hoping to hear in the near future that we are awarded a grant for metal detectors that would be (used) for athletic events at the high school and are portable that could be taken down to the stadium for football, soccer, and other events,” Wood said, adding this is an example of the division reflecting on its safety protocols to ensure it continues to put the safety of students, staff, the community, and visitors first.
Under the new policy, Wood said anything larger than a small clutch purse that isn’t in a clear gallon bag, or a clear tote bag would have to be returned to the vehicle.
“If it’s a diaper bag, they would do a quick search to just ensure the safety of everyone in the athletic event,” he said.
Under the new policy, outside food and drinks will not be allowed in for after school events and all elementary and middle school students must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
There is also no re-entry for ticketed events except for events with all-day passes, Wood said, and most of the families of PCHS athletes have been aware of this policy in other school divisions.
“When our Patrick County families would travel to someone else in the neighboring school division or in our district, this was the policy. So, it gets us in alignment with the other schools in which we are competing,” he said.
Wood said the district has not heard of any pushback to the new policy.
“It’s maybe an inconvenience, but you can’t argue when you are putting safety first,” he said.
In other matters, the board:
*Heard chairman Rob Martin, of the Dan River District, read a letter from Hannah Wood, who thanked the board for donating 40 Chromebooks to schools in Ethiopia.
*Approved the consent agenda.
*Heard the superintendent’s report.
*Approved the monthly personnel reports as amended.
*Approved contract negotiation for one-year for the online provider.
