The updated dress code took effect with the first day of the second semester requiring all shorts and skirts “to extend at least below the fingers as a student stands with their arms straight down.” This update to the Student Handbook stems from issues occurring earlier in the school year during Homecoming Week regarding the female uniform.
“We updated the dress code to improve clarity. First, there was confusion about when students could wear jeans/sweats and when they could be out of uniform in other ways, so we divided these into two separate categories. Second, we wanted to provide a clearer standard for the length of shorts and skirts – fingertip length.” Principal Dave Mueller said.
The current dress code can be found on pages 14 and 15 via the link to the Student Handbook on the McNicholas website.
While the dress code changes clarify appropriate short and skirt lengths, it does serve many purposes from preventing jealousy to convenience. “No one is their outfit… No one is trying to outdo each other, it cuts down on jealousy The purpose [of the dress code] is to level the playing field,” religion teacher Teresa Davis said.
“The purpose of the dress code, I believe, is to eliminate the amount of time figuring out what to wear,” Director of Education Dan Rosenbaum said.
Mueller hopes that this change will be positive for everyone. “Students who needed to buy longer shorts or skirts probably experienced the change as a negative, but I hope that the improved clarity will be positive for everyone,” Mueller said.
The McNicholas Milestone 