Academy Charter students weigh in on new dress code

PALMER — Students returning to Academy Charter for the 2011-2012 school year had something new to adjust to beside their schedules. August 2011 marked the beginning of the first year the school has required uniforms as its dress code.

Academy Charter has been in Palmer for 16 years, growing and educating many K-8 students in that time. The school is usually best known for scoring high on testing, and considering how close-knit its students are, uniforms seemed like the next step.

“We had top scores in testing and other areas, and our goal is to keep improving. We hit a glass ceiling and weren’t sure what else to do. Removing the distraction of (non-uniformed) clothing allows our students to be ready to focus on learning, and not who’s wearing what,” Principal Barbara Gerard said.

The uniforms — which consist of a mix-and-match style of navy, black, yellow, white and khaki pants, shirts and sweaters, as well as Academy Charter shirts or sweatshirts — went through a rigorous process before being put into action. As a charter school, Academy exists within the Mat-Su Borough School District, but works through its own charter and advisory board. Without having to go through the district school board, it took the best steps in trying this new rule. First, the school surveyed families to see if they were interested in the change and whether they would support it. When that resulted in an 82 percent confirmation, a uniform committee was formed.

The committee, manned by parent volunteers, tried out various brands and styles of uniforms for how fashionable they were or how well they stood up to multiple washes, and compared costs between ordering from catalogs and buying pieces alone. Students had a say along the way as well, voting on styles of uniforms, and girls voting on whether they preferred an A-line or pleated skirt.

“It’s a semi-casual dress code, not ‘you wear these shirts and these pants.’” Gerard explained. “We just want to improve learning by removing distractions without having to check for offensive shirts.”

The mix-and-match style offered by the uniform code gives way for parents to do their school shopping simply and with less stress, picking up appropriate pieces at stores like Fred Meyers, Target or Old Navy. Parents have found this to be less expensive than regular school shopping, one even finding that $189 bought 17 outfits for her student. For families who can’t afford new items, the mix-and-match idea offers them the ability to stop at Bishop’s Attic to purchase uniform pieces or the school’s own Academy Closet, where outgrown clothing has been donated by the school’s families to be traded in. The money families are saving on clothes for school can go toward other things.

“My eighth-grader was reluctant at first,” said parent and teacher Stacy Mollina, “She was afraid she wouldn’t have any freedom, but as flexible as it is, she can work with it. And she likes having money to spend on other things like going to the movies instead of new clothes for school.”

The flexibility of the uniform also allows for students to wake up and get going easily in the morning, Gerard said. The school’s attendance records last semester showed fewer students coming in tardy had three times as many with perfect attendance.

And how do the students feel about the change?

“I usually didn’t care, as long as I didn’t look horrible. I guess (the uniforms) are nice because I don’t have to worry. My mom likes it because there’s less laundry,” said Zane, eighth-grader.

“I feel fancier, better about myself,” said eighth-grader Bree. “I think it brings equality to classes.”

Mollina agrees. “Teaching a class with 16 girls, I can tell that there’s no pressure. I don’t see division of groups, there’s no judgment because everyone’s wearing the same thing. They’re saying, ‘we’re here, no one cares what we’re wearing. We’re more concerned about who they are and what we’re learning.’”

Gerard spoke on the same terms. “I think the uniforms help the students because when they’re here, it’s not about what they’re wearing telling us who they are, it’s about who they are. You get attention by dazzling us with your personality. I’ve really seen some kids step out and be themselves.”

Giving kids the opportunity to still be themselves is evident at Academy Charter. Aside from the uniform, the school allows dyed hair and jewelry, and shoes have no stipulations.

School uniforms are a topic that comes and goes before the school board, but Academy Charter is happy to be an example to the district of the options possible and the impact they can have. After seeing the success at Academy Charter, Houston Middle School is considering the switch. Houston Middle School principal Andrew Murr said they’ve started their own parent committee and are working on surveying parents, looking at what the support level is for uniforms there.

“I think uniforms are a good thing overall. We’ll see if Houston Middle can work it out. I think it can find a positive impact on both the students and learning,” Gerard said.

Dylan Gette-King is a senior at Palmer High School.