- November 17, 2024
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The School Board is considering a uniform policy change proposed by student School Board member Michael Manning, but delayed a vote on the proposal at a workshop Dec. 16 and requested more information from staff.
Manning’s proposal would allow high school students to wear “spirit” T-shirts — like those sold or given out by school clubs or sports teams — every day of the week, instead of just on Fridays, as they do now.
“If we see students every day of the week walking around wearing Matanzas shirts, that’s going to increase school spirit,” Manning, himself a Matanzas student, said during the workshop. “I believe the expected number of students out of dress code will go down because of this… and the expected number of community service hours, I expect, will go up,” as students complete community service projects that clubs reward with T-shirts. Manning said the schools let football players wear jerseys on game days, but don’t extend the same privilege to other sports and clubs.
School Board member Sue Dickinson said she worried about families that couldn’t afford the T-shirts.
“We get criticized because we’re forcing the parents to go out and spend money for our uniforms,” she said. “Now we’re going to ask them to buy from our schools.”
Manning said some T-shirts are given out free, and that his proposal would allow the T-shirts, not require them.
“I know, but if we do this, if this does go through, what is the student going to want?” Dickinson said. “They’re going to want out of the polo. They’re going to want the school shirt.”
School Board member Janet McDonald supported Manning’s proposal, saying it will allow the students to start “showing their personality within the high school culture.”
“My focus is on all of those kids who contribute so much to the culture of the high schools with their other clubs,” she said. Under current policy, she said, “If they’re not in athletics, they don’t count for this wonderful opportunity to show what they are good at, what they’ve done, how they contribute to the high school. And I think that’s a huge benefit.”
Tucker said the biggest concern for him is how much contact time students are losing because of dress code violations, and suggested experimenting with Manning’s proposal for a month to see the impact. “If this would bring down that violation number, I’d be all for it,” he said.
With the clock running out on the one-hour workshop, School Board Chairwoman Colleen Conklin said school staff would prepare more reports on dress-code-related discipline incidents, and suggested delaying a vote until after the information comes in.
School Board approves new dual enrollment program
Flagler County high school students with grade point averages of 3.2 or higher will soon be able to get a free associate’s degree before graduation under a state-mandated program the Flagler County School Board approved at its regular Dec. 16 meeting.
In Flagler County, students with a 3.0 GPA or higher can already do that through the district’s dual enrollment program with Daytona State College, but the new Collegiate High School program — which requires Florida colleges to partner with local high schools — differs from regular dual enrollment by offering pre-determined series of classes leading to various associate degrees, and additional support services at the college.
Flagler County high school and virtual education director Diane Dyer said she does not expect a large influx of Flagler students into the new program.
The program is free to students, but the Flagler County School District will give students their course materials and pay $70 per credit hour to Daytona State College.
