High School Dress Code for Students

Philosophy: 

As an intercultural school, JIS aims to honor the cultural expectations of the communities in which we live and learn, while also respecting the diverse backgrounds of our students. We uphold standards of respect in student dress, recognizing that attire plays an important role in maintaining a positive and inclusive learning environment. We believe that dressing appropriately reflects respect for the school setting and consideration for all members of our community, as well as an understanding of our shared responsibility within the broader society of which we are a part.

Beliefs: 

We believe that…

• The students themselves must accept the majority of responsibility for dressing appropriately and within the dress code

• Educators and families have a collective obligation to educate students about what is appropriate attire to wear to school

• Educators have the responsibility to enforce the dress code equitably

• The high school leaders accept responsibility for implementing the Dress Code as policy and enacting consequences for breaches of the Dress Code

• Parents can support the dress code by being mindful of it when purchasing clothing or advising their children on their choices of clothing for school

Why doesn’t JIS have a uniform?

*In response to growing interest in a school uniform, student representatives and school leadership will collect community feedback to assess whether our current no-uniform policy should be reviewed.

Basic Principles:

• Students will wear clothing that is neat and appropriate in terms of safety, community, and context

• Clothing must be functional in coverage when performing ordinary or dynamic activities such as sitting, reaching, running, bending, and jumping

• By the term ‘respectful’ with regard to choices of dress, we believe that being guests in Indonesia means we do not display excessive amounts of skin or wear clothing that may: 

  • be considered inappropriate as school attire

  • be considered offensive to members of our community, 

  • contains slogans or images that may promote harmful products, 

  • contain inappropriate language.

Students MUST wear:

• A shirt that covers the top of the shoulders, reaching at least the outer edge of the shoulder. 

• Bottoms that cover ⅓ of the upper leg as measured from the front, side, and back (ie. ⅓ of the quadriceps and ⅓ of the hamstrings) during ordinary movement (e.g., standing, walking, bending).

  •  If leggings are worn in place of bottoms, additional coverage by the top must be present over them.

• Footwear

Students CANNOT wear:

• Clothing that displays offensive or inappropriate language, slogans, or images (drugs, alcohol, etc.)

• Outfits in which the tops and the bottoms do not overlap when sitting, standing, or performing a dynamic action

• Clothing in which any part of the underwear or undergarments is visible, including through the fabric

• Tops that excessively show the chest, torso, or sides (ie, deep or low-cut tank tops, muscle tanks)

• Tops with spaghetti straps, halter necks, cut-out shoulders, tube tops, or strapless designs are not permitted. Coverage must extend to at least the outer edge of the shoulder.

Note:

• PE, athletics, and designated performances may follow separate dress guidelines to meet functional, safety, or uniform requirements. These exceptions should be context-specific, communicated in advance, and aligned with the school’s overall values of comfort, respect, and inclusion.

Dress Code Enforcement

• This dress code applies equally to all students, regardless of gender. All enforcement shall be conducted in a manner free of gender bias.

• Students should not be mandated to perform dynamic actions by faculty request.

• Upon the enforcement of the policy, faculty members shall not:

  • Require students to display their bodies in front of others (students, parents, or staff) in school at any time, whether part of policy enforcement or not.

  • “Shame” the student, which includes, but is not limited to:

    • measuring straps, shorts, or skirt length;

    • confronting, addressing, or directing students in front of others;

    • accusing students of “distracting” other students with their clothing

• Upon the enforcement of the policy, faculty members shall:

  • Prioritize the comfort of the student.

  • Use language such as:

    • “Your clothing is not fully meeting the coverage requirements in the dress code”

    • If the student raises a question about the faculty member's judgment, the student shall be directed to either the particular section of the dress code being violated or the relevant administrator.

Consequences:

1st Instance: 

• Verbal reminder to the student

• The student finds a suitable alternative

• Record logged in Powerschool.

2nd Instance: 

• Verbal reminder to the student

• The student finds a suitable alternative

• The student and parents are notified via email, and the student writes a reflection, acknowledging that the next instance would result in being sent home.

• Record logged in Powerschool.

3rd Instance: 

• Verbal reminder to the student

• The student will remain in the high school office for the remainder of the day and continue their studies or assessments there. 

• Reflection meeting with student, parent, and Associate Principal for Student Life and Well-being to develop a plan moving forward and agree on subsequent consequences.

*Students without suitable alternative clothing on the day they are observed breaking dress code will be required to immediately borrow a suitable item or purchase clothing from the Dragon Store.

Dress Code Review:

The JIS High School Dress Code will be reviewed every three years to ensure it remains aligned with our community values and the evolving cultural context. Feedback from students and faculty will be gathered to aid in informing the administration of possible revisions. Final updates will be reviewed by school leadership and communicated clearly before the start of the academic year in which changes are implemented.