March 2, 2025

Dear Parents and Guardians, 

For nearly 100 years, St. Philip’s School has supported parents in their role as the first educators of their children. To do so, the school and church have provided guidance for families as they navigate through the challenges of present-day society. This is the foundation upon which our Dress Code is based.

The process for developing the Dress Code was long, arduous, and painful at times. However, it was necessary. Lots of input; lots of discussions; lots of aspects to consider. Thanks to the many individuals directly and indirectly involved in the process (parents, staff, students, School Council members, parish leadership), the administration has completed its task – establishing a family friendly Dress Code that elevates the qualities of modesty, respect, and pride while reducing the effort for monitoring.

We acknowledge that there will be families who will be upset over the established Dress Code, either because they believe the expectations are too restrictive or because they feel the expectations are not restrictive enough. However, we believe that within our Dress Code, families have options to select the apparel that works best for their family.

A student’s attire and appearance should reflect the Catholic values of modesty and respect - especially for oneself, our church and school, and our community. We trust that parents, guardians, and students will use good judgement in their apparel choices and will ensure that the clothing selected to be worn at school is neat, clean, properly fitted, age-appropriate, and suitable for the learning environment. We also trust that parents, guardians, and students will use good judgement regarding developmental and age-appropriate appearance. The St. Philip’s Dress Code provides the framework through which apparel and appearance choices can be made.

A student’s attire should reflect the Catholic values of modesty and respect - especially for oneself, our church and school, and our community.   Students are always expected to dress and groom in a neat, clean, and respectable manner, wearing clothing that is modest, appropriate for the occasion, and suitable for the weather conditions. 
 
The faculty and administration of St. Philip’s School have the right to decide the suitability and acceptability of any and all garments and items, even when not specifically mentioned or prohibited.
 
The administration will make the final determination on Dress Code interpretation and enforcement.

• Modest fit: not skin tight; not over-sized to be baggy (sloppy); long enough to be able to be tucked into the waistline of pants, shorts, skirts, skorts, capris; At no time should cleavage, bare midriffs, or buttocks be visible, whether this is caused by tops “rising up”  (raising your hand) or bottoms “riding down”; Dresses, jumpers, skirts, skorts, and shorts are worn not more than 2 inches above the knee.
• Respectful: promoting and supporting the Catholic faith and its beliefs; giving honor to God and all of creation; intentionally dressing with reverence, honor, and awe; showing pride and value in oneself; being proud of your school.
• Clothing Fabric and Style: except for Mass Days where “dress-style” pants are preferred (see “Pants”), the fabric and style of pants, shorts, capris, skirts, dresses, jumpers, shirts, tops, and cover-ups are up to the discretion of the parent, provided the fabric and style are of the designated colors and comply with the Dress Code. Dress style pants, denim pants, athletic pants, non-baggy sweatpants are acceptable provided they are of the designated colors and of modest fit.
• Leggings are not considered pants. They may only be worn under dress code jumpers, skirts, skorts, dresses or shorts. 
• Pajamas are not considered pants. They are allowed only if/when designated by staff and administration.
• These color families are interchangeable:  “burgundy” / “maroon” ;

• Any and all clothing items purchased through the St. Philip’s Online Stores are Dress Code approved.

• Single-Color: Burgundy, Navy Blue, White, Light Gray 
• Neck: Collared or a quality crew-neck 
• Graphics: May be plain. May display the school crest and/or a discreet factory logo.
• Sleeves: Long or short 
• Fit: Modest fit; may be worn out or tucked in 

• Single-Color: Burgundy, Navy Blue, White, Light Gray
• Graphics: May be plain. May display the school crest and/or a discreet factory logo.
• Fit: Modest fit

• Single-Color: Navy Blue, Khaki-colored, Black
• Fit: Modest fit; worn at the waist
• On Mass days, dress-style pants are preferred. Dress jeans and dress athletic pants in the designated colors and modest fit are acceptable.

• Single-Color: Navy Blue, Khaki-colored, Black
• Fit: Modest fit; worn at the waist; not more than 2 inches above the knee

• Single-Color: Navy Blue, Khaki-colored, Burgundy; OR School-approved plaid
• Fit: Modest fit; worn no more than 2 inches above the knee
• Worn with an appropriate shirt or top 
• Dresses must have sleeves
• Solid colored tights and leggings may be worn underneath dress code jumpers, skirts, skorts, or dresses 

• Single-Color: Navy Blue, Black, White, Burgundy, Khaki-colored
• Leggings may be worn under dress code jumpers, skirts, skorts, dresses, or shorts
• Shorts should be worn under dresses, jumpers, or skirts if tights or leggings are not worn

• In addition to Dress Code apparel, clothing items bearing the St. Philip’s name may be worn on Fridays (except during Lent). This includes T-shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies.
• St. Philip’s Spirit Wear from past years is grandfathered in on these Fridays. 

• Special days will be planned that vary from the regular dress code    

• Dress up 
• Wear appropriate Dress Code apparel

• Crest colors: Burgundy, Navy Blue, Black, White, Light Gray, Khaki-colored
• School approved plaid items
• Any and all clothing items purchased through the St. Philip’s Online Stores 

• All clothing, backpacks, bags, lunch boxes, shoes, or supplies must reflect a respectful nature towards the Catholic faith and its teachings. 
• Body Piercing is limited to the ears.
• Clothing items should have no holes, patches, or unfinished hems and should not be faded or washed-out.
• Dying hair to an unnatural color (pink, blue, purple, etc.) is not allowed. However, with advance permission from administration, students may be allowed to change their hair color for a limited time period due to participation on a team qualifying for state competition. 
• Hats and caps may be worn on the playground, during outside physical education classes, or on designated days. They may not be worn in church, at religious events, in classrooms, or in the lunchroom without advance permission from the administration. Caps and hats are to be removed before entering the building.
• When the temperatures become extreme (hot or cold), dress with modesty and respect.
• Underwear should never be visible.
• Tennis shoes are required footwear for all physical education classes.
• Students in grades 6-8 may alter their clothing before leaving the building to attend BMS classes or district sanctioned events.