Dress For Success Guidelines

Purpose

The Dress for Success Guidance aims to provide advice to students making personal choices in their apparel selections when coming to the school campus. The advice allows for personal expression and gender-neutral rules designed to avoid discrimination. The guidelines acknowledge the diverse community that forms ICS, while also respecting the diverse host culture of Ethiopia. 

Goals

The ICS Dress for Success Guidelines aim to accomplish the following goals:

• Afford self expression in personal apparel selection  that contributes to students feeling safe and comfortable.

• Promote equitable treatment of all students regardless of gender/gender identification, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, body type/size, religion, and personal style. 

• Maintain a safe learning environment in classes where protective or supportive/clothing is needed, such as design technology (ie. eye or body protection) or PE (athletic attire/shoes). 

• Promote inclusivity by not wearing clothing with offensive/inappropriate images or language, including profanity, hate speech, alcohol use, drug use, violence and pornography. 

Specific Guidelines

1. Basic apparel worn to campus includes:

Dress or other one-piece covering OR Top and bottom

AND

Closed Shoes such as leather shoes and runners. No Crocs, slides, or sandals

2. Clarification on particular items:  

Students can wear:

• Hats, including religious headwear

• Sleeveless shirts; if a tank top, the straps should be the width of three fingers

• Fitted pants, including leggings, and “skinny jeans” are acceptable.

• Bottoms extend to the mid-thigh. 

Students cannot wear:

• Apparel that contains violent language or images 

• Images or language depicting drugs or alcohol (or any illegal item or activity) 

• Images or languages with hate speech, profanity, or pornography 

• Tube tops/strapless tops, or crop tops that show belly-buttons

• Material that is designed to be see-through so that undergarments are visible.

• Bathing suits

Physical Education Dress:

On the days that students have PHE, each student is required to wear appropriate sports clothes for being active and a water bottle. We highly recommend purchasing an ICS PE uniform from the student store. Starting in January 2022 all students will be expected to wear the ICS PE uniform. 

Athletic/Performing Arts Awards Ceremony Dress Requirements                                                                                

All students that play on a sports team and/or are involved in performing arts (band / choir / drama) are required to attend their season’s awards ceremony and dress in formal attire.

Boys: formal pants, formal shoes and dress socks, button up collared shirt and a tie, a suit is optional but preferred. 

Girls: formal pants, skirt or dress (knee-length or longer), formal shoes (flats, heels), fancy blouse.

Not Dressed for Success?

A reflective conversation will be had between the student and faculty member to discuss what choice can be made in the future to ensure the guidelines are observed  (this can take place with a teacher, Grade Level Leader, Counselor, Deputy Principal, Principal or Director).  Upon the third discussion, a notification to parents will be made.

Interpretation of the dress code is at the discretion of the Principal and his/her decision is final.