Uniform Policy

Roland Park Magnet has adopted a mandatory school uniform policy for all our students. This policy was instituted based on research that has shown an improvement in discipline and time on task, a decrease in tardiness, and overall improvement in respect for oneself and others when students wear uniforms. It has also served as a safety measure in being able to quickly identify a Roland Park student.

THE MANDATORY STUDENT UNIFORM CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING:

• Solid white, red or navy top with a collar (polo shirts, blouses, and button-up or turtleneck shirts).

• Solid navy or khaki bottom (shorts, long pants, skirt, or jumper). Leggings are permitted in school colors only.

• No athletic shorts or items with sports logos.

• Students are permitted to wear a school-sponsored spirit T-shirt on Fridays or specially designated days.

• Shoes shall be secured to the feet and have a low heel height. Footwear must be suitable for going up and down stairs as well as physical education.

• We encourage students to wear jackets, sweaters, or hoodies in school colors; however, outerwear can be of any color.

• Uniform items can be purchased from any store (e.g., Target, Walmart, Old Navy, Lands End); Roland Park also provides free, gently used uniforms through our Uniform Closet.

DRESS CODE POLICIES:

1. Students must follow the mandatory school uniform policy.

2. Shoes shall be worn and be securely fastened to the feet and have a low heel height. Footwear must be suitable for outdoor physical education classes.

3. Clothing that exposes the entire shoulder (tank tops, tube tops, spaghetti straps, or similar type clothing) may be worn only with a blouse or shirt underneath. Clothing exposing the torso or the midriff, either front, back, or sides, shall not be worn.
   Underwear may not be visible. Clothing shall not expose the mid-chest area.

4. Hair shall be clean and neatly groomed. The general appearance of students should reflect neatness and good personal hygiene.

5. Head coverings shall not be worn in the building unless required for religious observance or health-related reasons.

6. Mini-skirts, mini-dresses and short shorts are not permitted. Hemlines shall be no shorter than fingertip length.

7. All pants and shorts shall be secured at the waist.

8. Garments and/or jewelry which display or suggest sexual, vulgar, drug, gang, weapons, or alcohol-related wording or graphics, or which provoke or may tend to provoke violence or disruption in the school shall not be worn.

EXCEPTIONS:

• A student may wear the uniform of a nationally recognized youth organization, such as Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, or Girl Scouts on regular meeting days.

• A student’s doctor may send a note to the school nurse stating that the student must wear non-uniform clothing or shoes for medical reasons for a fixed amount of time. Assistive devices such as crutches may not be utilized at school without a doctor’s note.

COMPLIANCE MEASURES:

The school will use positive reinforcement measures to encourage full compliance with the uniform policy.

FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS:

No student shall be denied attendance at school, nor otherwise penalized for failure to wear clothing that complies with the uniform policy if such failure is due to financial hardship. An application procedure has been established to assist families in need through our PTSA and the school Social Worker. Our Uniform Closet is also available, providing free uniform clothing to any student in need of assistance.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Spirit Shirts are OPTIONAL and can be worn on Fridays with uniform bottoms.

Polos with the IB/School emblem can be ordered through Lands’ End. Polos with the IB/School emblem are NOT required. Lands’ End gives 3% of purchases back to Roland Park on orders from our school.