Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

GHS adopts new student dress code

When students return to Gurdon High School this fall, they will find a few changes to the handbook.

Gurdon High School Principal, Leonard Gills, presented the proposed changes to the school board Tuesday, June 25.

The board had no objections to any of the suggested changes.

The first change was the school doing away with COE work program for seniors.

The program was set up for seniors to be able to leave at lunch each day to go to a job. By doing this the seniors would receive the remaining classroom credits needed.

The second change was to try to keep seniors from skipping their first morning classes.

Apparently several seniors had skipped their first period classes last year in order to stay home and sleep longer.

Gills said, "We have tried several different tactics to keep this from happening, but we have resorted to making them attend by requiring a D letter grade in all of their classes in order to graduate."

Gills worked with Coach John Pace on some of the changes to the handbook. One of them being, in order for a senior football player to walk in homecoming, they must have played senior high sports for at least two years.

Gills said, "We have been having a problem with guys only playing their senior year in order to walk and then they quit the team after they walk." This will go into effect in the 2003-2004 school years.

Another to homecoming is the court must have a 2.0 grade point average or at least be passing four of their classes before they are allowed to walk.

The school board also adopted new rules for school trips.

The new rules are as follows:

All students must have at least a grade of "D" in all subjects at any give time to go on off campus trips. This includes, but not limited to, band, choir, athletics, judging teams, etc.

No alcohol/drug possession or consumption at any time.

All trips will have sufficient supervision at all times.

Baggage checks for alcohol/drugs before departure and during travel.

Room checks and baggage checks for alcohol/drugs at the motel. Bed checks for all students (lights out at midnight).

Additional chaperone for overnight trips and more than one on one day trips. Either a parent or other adult.

Police will be called and parents will be notified if anyone disobeys.

Students will be disciplined for possession/consumption of alcohol or drugs.

Supervising teachers will be suspended for a period of time determined by the administration with pay.

All remaining trips for the semester will be cancelled.

Changes to the dress code were also adopted.

They are as follows:

No body piercings (except for ears) will be allowed.

Pajamas, robes, and house shoes are not considered appropriate dress for school and thus will not be allowed.

For boys at GHS: all shirts must have sleeves.

For girls at GHS: Tank tops and tops with "spaghetti" straps are not permitted; all tops must have at least a two inch shoulder strap.

Clothing emblems, insignias, badges or other symbols that could be interpreted as a racial remark or advocates or insinuates illegal activities, vulgar or inappropriate messages shall not be worn; this includes, but is not limited to Malcolm X, KKK, pictures of marijuana plants, drug or alcohol names or symbols, rebel flags etc, Pants are to be worn at waist level (male students). If overalls are worn, both straps are to be fastened at all times.

Extreme sagging and/or excessively loose clothing will not be tolerated. For all clothing with waistbands, the top of the waistband must be no lower than the top of the hipbone. Undergarments may not show.

Skirts and dresses must be modest in length. A good rule of thumb to follow would be measuring five inches from the knee cap.

No caps, hats, other head apparel or sunglasses should be worn during school hours, 8:05 a.m.-3:15 p.m. Caps/hats and sunglasses should be left in vehicles or lockers. No caps should be seen in the hallways, classrooms, gym, students center, cafeteria, or outside on the campus during school hours.

Cabe Middle School Principal, Jeff Alexander, had a few changes to the CMS handbook.

One of them being, students must pass four of their required classes or they will be required to pay for summer school.

No bandanas, combs, picks or hairbrushes are to be worn in hair.

Tylenol will be given by the school nurse if it is so approved by the parent on the students emergency card.

Alexander also said, "We usually have Dan Cook's print up our handbooks; however, this year Linda Gayle Hogue, Cabe Middle School Secretary, thought it would save the school money if she printed them herself. I believe she has done a wonderful job."

"Tell her we appreciate her effort and good work," said Bobby Smithson Gurdon superintendent.

Gurdon Primary School Principal, Rita Roe, had no changes to the GPS handbook.

Bonnie Ross, the district's curriculum coordinator, reported the Title I program would be going school-wide. This meant the money from grants could be used by the whole school to better education.

Ross said the school's weakest subject was Math.

Ross said she and CMS principal Jeff Alexander had been working on a new schedule so students could attend two math classes a day to help them.

The school board recently received letters from Carolyn Kuhn and Robbie McKinnon requesting their retirement.

Kuhn has taught Geography and led the student council at the school for 29 years. She stated in her letter, "I would like to thank you for entrusting the students of Gurdon High School to me for the past 29 years. I have really enjoyed it and will miss it."

McKinnon has been the home economics instructor for 25 years. McKinnon stated, "I have retained many parents, students and friends in my time here. I would like to thank you for the opportunity to teach at GHS."

Both requests were approved.