The faculty and administration of Bishop O’Dowd High School believe that appropriateness in attire has a positive influence on student work and that it enhances the learning environment for all involved. A dress code also emphasizes to students the societal expectation that personal grooming and appropriate dress reflect a person’s sense of purpose and seriousness toward their work and behavior. We realize that many factors can influence the choice of clothing. All members of the faculty, staff and administration are empowered to enforce all aspects of the dress code.
Here is what we expect every O’Dowd student to wear every day, on campus, from 8:00am – end of school day:
- Approved unaltered O’Dowd polo and approved O’Dowd outerwear
- Clean, intact jeans, dress slacks, or khakis, shorts to the knees
- Shoes with backs or back straps
Here is an expanded description of these items:
A. The standard item of school wear continues to be the unaltered O’Dowd polo. The O’Dowd polo and/or approved outerwear should be worn and visible at all times. The O’Dowd polo should not be shortened and should completely cover the mid-section when arms are raised. Students cannot take off their approved outerwear unless they are wearing a polo.
B. Approved O’Dowd outerwear is the only acceptable outerwear that can be worn over the polo. (Outerwear is defined as any and all outerwear that has been purchased from the Dragon Den or by school teams as “official outerwear.”)
C. Students may wear jeans, khakis, or dress slacks of their choice provided they are worn and secured at and around the waist, not the hips. Pant legs must be mid-calf to ankle length. Pants must not have any holes in them, be torn, or have frayed edges. Inappropriate clothing includes sweatpants or sweat-type pants, workout shorts, warm-ups, tights, PJs, yoga pants or jeggings. No short skirts, skorts, or dresses. The only acceptable skirts are full-length ones made of non-transparent material.
D. Students may wear regular shorts, solid colors, or plaid, but the shorts must cover the legs to the knee.
E. Shoes need to be appropriate for a school setting and must not compromise safety in an emergency. In case of doubt, the Deans will decide whether a particular shoe may be worn.
F. Hair must be well groomed and no inappropriate hair styles will be allowed. In case of doubt, the Deans will decide whether a particular style or hair color may be worn. No headgear of any kind, including hats, may be worn at any time indoors while a student is on campus. This includes the cafeteria, the classroom buildings, the theater, etc. The Deans will decide if particular headgear may be worn for religious/cultural/medical reasons. Sunglasses may not be worn at any time indoors during the school day.
Because the polos and outerwear are alike and expensive, students should label their clothing items inside the collar with their name. Lost items can be retrieved in the Lost and Found. (See Section 4.11 of the Student/Family Handbook.)
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