School Uniform Policy

Statement of Purpose:

Lawrence Orr Elementary School is a place where scholars have limitless opportunities to experience academic, personal and social achievement.  School uniforms will further support the solid structures and processes that are being implemented to ensure that every child has unhindered opportunities to develop his or her individual platforms of personal excellence.  Additionally, school uniforms will support our unified vision of strength, excellence and leadership that surpasses all that our scholars and school community may hope for or dream.

Safety is our first priority in meeting the individual needs of our scholars.  Research has demonstrated that school uniforms are positively correlated with decreased incidents of school violence, bullying and other behaviors that may pose a direct threat to student safety.  Additionally, school uniforms will bring a sense of pride and school spirit to our campus, while helping to eliminate the real and perceived disparities amongst students based on race, color, creed, socio-economic status and academic standing that often lead to issues with student conduct and discipline.  We have already begun the work of launching a culture of legacy builders by establishing a sense of community and common purpose.  Common school uniforms will further this quest as we fortify our school identity built on a solid foundation of scholars who will become leaders who refuse to be average, positively impacting their world today and every day.

Uniform Attire:

Uniforms are required for all scholars enrolled at Lawrence Orr Elementary School. School uniforms help us create the safest possible environment for our scholars.  All scholars are required to wear the school uniform every day, unless otherwise noted.  The Lawrence Orr Elementary School Uniform for scholars consists of:

• Bottoms: Navy blue or khaki bottoms (pants, shorts, skirts, jumpers, skorts, etc.) Shorts and skirts should fall slightly above the knee line. Scholars should not wear blue jeans of any kind.
• Tops: White, light or navy blue tops (long or short sleeved shirts, blouses, turtlenecks, etc.) All tops must have a collar or must be a dress shirt. (No T-shirts) Shirts/blouses must be tucked into pants at all times.
• Dresses:  Navy blue or khaki.  Dresses should fall slightly above the knee line.
• Socks: Scholars should wear navy blue or white socks with their uniforms.
• Shoes: Scholars will be expected to wear shoes that have a closed toe and heel. Scholars can wear tennis shoes or any type of other casual or dress shoes. Open-toe and open-heel shoes such as sandals and flip-flops are not permitted for safety reasons.
• Belts:  Scholars will be expected to wear a dark-colored belt with their uniforms, especially if their pants/shorts/skirts are a size or more too big.  Shirts/blouses must be tucked into pants at all times.
• Please note:  Scholars will not be allowed to wear hats, caps, hoods, or scarves inside the school building. Head coverings will only be permitted as they pertain to religious attire.

Uniforms… EVERYDAY

Scholars are to be in uniform every day, except on scheduled non-uniform days or when special permission is granted by administration for Spirit and/or Picture days.  Parents will receive advanced notice of Spirit and/or Picture Days.  Additionally, parents will be notified about appropriate apparel for these days.

Jewelry:

Small articles of jewelry (earrings, necklaces, bracelets, watches) are permitted as long as they do not cause a distraction within the learning environment. Please be advised that the school cannot be responsible for lost, stolen or misplaced articles of jewelry.

Compliance:

 It is the expectation of the Lawrence Orr Elementary School family that all scholars will adhere to our school wide uniform policy.  It is further understood that parents will have been made fully aware of the expectations for school uniforms when enrolling their children in our school.  Our Student Services Team (SST) will work with families who may have a difficult time securing uniforms whenever possible.  The school will have a limited number of uniforms on hand as we receive donations from outside sponsors.  However, parents are ultimately responsible for ensuring that their child has appropriate school attire in alignment with the Lawrence Orr Elementary School uniform policy. Our first priorities each and every day are to make sure that our scholars are safe and to ensure that they receive an excellent education without distractions or obstacles.  To that end, our goal is to have zero violations of the school uniform policy. However, if and when violations of the school uniform policy do occur the following actions will be taken to support our scholars and families in joining our unified vision of excellence:

The Lawrence Orr PTA/PTO as well as our Student Services Team (SST) will support our school uniform policy by advocating to community partners for donations and support in order that we might maintain a small uniform closet in the case of emergencies.  Further, our PTA/PTO and SST will help to educate new parents about how our school wide uniform policy support our comprehensive school vision and provide them with community resources for buying/securing uniforms.