VPA Uniform and Dress Code

Boys’ Uniform and Dress Code

Boys’ Shirts: Shirts must remain tucked in at all times with waistband visible. A white undershirt may be worn, free of any designs or logos.

Students have the option of wearing a short or long sleeve white or navy blue polo shirt with school crest or a long sleeve white oxford dress shirt. The oxford dress shirt with school crest must be pressed. Both the polo and the oxford shirts should be worn fully buttoned with only the uppermost button undone. The oxford shirt may also be worn with a red tie and navy blue blazer.

Boys’ Sweater:  A solid navy ¾-zip pullover (with VPA logo), solid navy sweater, or solid navy sweater-vest may be worn.  No other sweaters may be worn in classrooms.

Boys’ Dress Pants: Student’s dress pants must be khaki colored, with belt loops.  Acceptable fabrics for the dress pants are cotton, polyester or poly-blend. A solid-colored black or dark brown dress belt must be worn with the dress pants. Dress belts with a simple clasp or open buckle designs are acceptable. Pants must reach to the shoe but may not drag on the ground. (No khaki jeans or dungarees. No utility loops or patch pockets, extra zippers, Velcro, or extra seams.) Neither oversized, baggy pants nor tight (“skinny”) pants will be permitted. Pants should be worn at the waist (and no boxers or undergarments may be visible – including at sports practices and games).

Boys’ Shorts: Khaki walking shorts are a uniform option for males from the beginning of the school year to Fall Break and from Spring Break through the end of school year. Acceptable fabrics for the shorts are cotton, polyester or poly-blend. No utility loops or patch pockets, extra zippers, Velcro, or extra seams. Shorts must be worn with a solid-colored black or dark brown dress belt. Dress belts with a simple clasp or open buckle designs are acceptable. Shorts should extend to just above the knee.

Middle School students may wear shorts year-round.

Boys’ Footwear: Students may wear black or brown leather or simulated leather dress shoes in lace-up or loafer style (see examples below). As a reminder, dress shoes require periodic hand cleaning and polishing/conditioning. Cloth, canvas, plastic or athletic shoes are not uniform attire. Socks must be white or solid black, navy, or dark brown in color, and extend above the ankle. Students with medical foot problems requiring special footwear should consult the “Medically-Necessary Footwear” document in the appendix to the 2019-2020 Family Handbook (publication soon to be announced).

Middle School students may wear solid black sneakers, as long as the sole and logo are all completely black.

Boys’ Hair: Hair should be neatly combed or styled. Hair must be above the top of the shirt collar. Hair should be styled so that it does not fall below the eyebrows or past the midpoint of the ear. Hair must be natural looking and conservative in its color and cut (no bleaching or unnatural streaking/highlighting, no artificial jet-black coloring, and no unnatural colors). Hair may not change color during the school year. Accommodations for religious reasons are permitted.

Boys’ Jewelry: All jewelry must be tasteful and worn in a non-distracting manner. Boys are permitted to wear one watch, one finger ring and one necklace. Only simple, fine-gauged, 16 to 20-inch, silver or gold chain necklaces are permitted.  Necklaces must be worn inside the shirt.    One charity/motivational bracelet may be worn to support an appropriate cause provided it does not make inappropriate allusions.

Boys’ Headwear: Hats, bandanas, and sunglasses will not be permitted indoors and must be stored in student lockers during the school day. Accommodations for religious reasons are permitted.

Boys’ Letter Jacket: Letter-earning participants in extracurricular activities are eligible to purchase a letter jacket.  Letter jackets may be worn in class.  Students may only wear their own letter jackets.

Boys’ Outerwear: All jackets, sweatshirts, and other outerwear should be free of distracting or inappropriate images and messages.  Outerwear must be stored in student lockers during the school day.    Except for the school letter jacket, outerwear may not be worn in classrooms.

Additional Guidelines: If an item of dress or appearance is deemed incongruent with the standards of the Academy by an administrator, the student must alter his dress or appearance in accordance with the administrator’s directive.

Uniform items must be properly-fitting, neat in appearance and free of stains, tears or excessive wear. Temporary or permanent visible tattoos are not permitted; this includes pen and ink drawing or writing on the skin.

Girls’ Uniform and Dress Code

Girls’ Shirts: Shirts must remain tucked in at all times with waistband visible. A white undergarment may be worn, free of any designs or logos.  Students have the option of wearing a short or long sleeve white or navy-blue polo shirt with school crest or a long sleeve white oxford blouse with the school crest. The oxford blouse with school crest must be pressed. Both the polo and the oxford should be worn fully buttoned with only the uppermost button undone. The oxford shirt may also be worn with a red tie and navy-blue blazer.

Girls’ Sweater:  A solid navy ¾-zip pullover (with VPA logo), solid navy sweater, or solid navy sweater-vest may be worn.  No other sweaters may be worn in classrooms.

Girls’ Skirts: Girls may wear the official uniform skirt. Skirts must be worn at the waist with the waistband visible at all times. When properly adjusted at the student’s waist, the skirt hem should be touching the top of the knee. Skirts may be longer if desired.

Girls’ Dress Slacks: Girls’ dress pants must be khaki or navy blue colored, with belt loops.  Acceptable fabrics for the dress pants are cotton, polyester or poly-blend. A solid-colored black or dark brown dress belt must be worn with the dress pants. Dress belts with a simple clasp or open buckle designs are acceptable. Pants must reach to the shoe but may not drag on the ground. (No khaki jeans or dungarees. No utility loops or patch pockets, extra zippers, Velcro, or extra seams.) Neither oversized, baggy pants nor tight (“skinny”) pants will be permitted. Pants should be worn at the waist.        

Girls’ Shorts: Khaki or navy- blue walking shorts with white or solid-colored dark socks are a uniform option for students from the beginning of the school year to Fall Break and from Spring Break through the end of school year. Acceptable fabrics for the shorts are cotton, polyester or poly-blend. No utility loops or patch pockets, extra zippers, Velcro, or extra seams. Shorts must be worn with a solid-colored black or dark brown dress belt. Dress belts with a simple clasp or open buckle designs are acceptable. Shorts should extend to just above the knee.

Middle School students may wear shorts year-round.

Girls’ Footwear: Girls may wear black or brown leather or simulated leather dress shoes with a 1.5 inch or less heel (measured at back of heel) and low sole (see examples below). As a reminder, dress shoes require periodic hand cleaning and occasional polishing/conditioning. Cloth, canvas, plastic, sequined or athletic shoes are not uniform attire. Socks must be white, solid black, navy, or dark brown in color, and extend above the ankle. Nylons or tights must extend from the toes to the waist, and be white, solid black, or navy in color. All socks, nylons and tights must be free of logos, patterns or decorations. Students with medical foot problems requiring special footwear should consult the “Medically-Necessary Footwear” document in the appendix to the 2019-2020 Family Handbook (publication soon to be announced).

Middle School students may wear solid black sneakers, as long as the sole and logo are all completely black.

Girls’ Hair: Hair should be neatly combed or styled. Neat small bows, barrettes, headbands, and hair ties are permissible so long as they coordinate with the uniform. Hair must be natural looking and conservative in its color and cut (no bleaching or unnatural streaking/highlighting, no artificial jet-black coloring, and no unnatural colors).  Hair may not change color during the school year. Accommodations for religious reasons are permitted.

Girls’ Makeup: Girls may wear subtle makeup applied tastefully and in moderation. Fingernails may only be painted in colors close to one’s skin tone. Fingernails should not be excessively long or painted garishly.

Girls’ Jewelry: All jewelry must be tasteful and worn in a non-distracting manner; gaudy costume or novelty jewelry is not uniform attire. Girls have the option of wearing one pair of matching earrings, one watch, one finger ring and one necklace. Earrings must be worn on the ear lobe and cannot hang more than one-half inch below the ear lobe. Only fine-gauged, 16 to 20 inch, silver or gold chain necklaces are permitted. Necklace pendants, if worn, must be less than an inch in length, width or diameter. Girls may wear one tasteful, non-distracting bracelet. One additional charity/motivational bracelet may be worn to support an appropriate cause provided it does not make inappropriate allusions.

Girls’ Headwear: Hats, bandanas, and sunglasses will not be permitted indoors and must be stored in student lockers during the school day. Accommodations for religious reasons are permitted.

Girls’ Letter Jacket: Letter-earning participants in extracurricular activities are eligible to purchase a letter jacket.  Letter jackets may be worn in class.  Students may only wear their own letter jackets.

Girls’ Outerwear: All jackets, sweatshirts, and other outerwear should be free of distracting or inappropriate images and messages.  Outerwear must be stored in student lockers during the school day.  Except for the school letter jacket, outerwear may not be worn in classrooms.

Additional Guidelines: If an item of dress or appearance is deemed incongruent with the standards of the Academy by an Administrator, the student must alter his dress or appearance in accordance with the Administrator’s directive.

Uniform items must be properly-fitting, neat in appearance and free of stains, tears or excessive wear. Temporary or permanent visible tattoos are not permitted; this includes pen and ink drawing or writing on the skin.

General Uniform and Dress Code Option for all Students

Shirts: Shirts must remain tucked in at all times with waistband visible. A white undershirt may be worn, free of any designs or logos. Students have the option of wearing a short or long sleeve white or navy-blue polo shirt with school crest or a long sleeve white oxford dress shirt. The oxford dress shirt with school crest must be pressed. Both the polo and the oxford shirts should be worn fully buttoned with only the uppermost button undone. The oxford shirt may also be worn with a red tie and navy-blue blazer.

Sweater:  A solid navy ¾-zip pullover (with VPA logo), solid navy sweater, or solid navy sweater-vest may be worn.  No other sweaters may be worn in classrooms.

Dress Pants: Dress pants must be khaki colored, with belt loops.  Acceptable fabrics for the dress pants are cotton, polyester or poly-blend. A solid-colored black or dark brown dress belt must be worn with the dress pants. Dress belts with a simple clasp or open buckle designs are acceptable. Pants must reach to the shoe but may not drag on the ground. (No khaki jeans or dungarees. No utility loops or patch pockets, extra zippers, Velcro, or extra seams.) Neither oversized, baggy pants nor tight (“skinny”) pants will be permitted. Pants should be worn at the waist (and no boxers or undergarments may be visible – including at sports practices and games).

Shorts: Khaki walking shorts are a uniform option from the beginning of the school year to Fall Break and from Spring Break through the end of school year. Acceptable fabrics for the shorts are cotton, polyester or poly-blend. No utility loops or patch pockets, extra zippers, Velcro, or extra seams. Shorts must be worn with a solid-colored black or dark brown dress belt. Dress belts with a simple clasp or open buckle designs are acceptable. Shorts should extend to just above the knee.

Middle School students may wear shorts year-round.

Footwear: Students may wear black or brown leather or simulated leather dress shoes in lace-up or loafer style (see examples below). As a reminder, dress shoes require periodic hand cleaning and polishing/conditioning. Cloth, canvas, plastic or athletic shoes are not uniform attire. Socks must be white or solid black, navy, or dark brown in color, and extend above the ankle. Students with medical foot problems requiring special footwear should consult the “Medically-Necessary Footwear” document in the appendix to the 2019-2020 Family Handbook (publication soon to be announced).

Middle School students may wear solid black sneakers, as long as the sole and logo are all completely black.

Hair: Hair should be neatly combed or styled. Hair must be above the top of the shirt collar. Hair should be styled so that it does not fall below the eyebrows or past the midpoint of the ear. Hair must be natural looking and conservative in its color and cut (no bleaching or unnatural streaking/highlighting, no artificial jet-black coloring, and no unnatural colors).  Hair may not change color during the school year.  Accommodations for religious reasons are permitted.

Jewelry: All jewelry must be tasteful and worn in a non-distracting manner. Students are permitted to wear one watch, one finger ring and one necklace. Only simple, fine-gauged, 16 to 20-inch, silver or gold chain necklaces are permitted.  Necklaces must be worn inside the shirt.    One charity/motivational bracelet may be worn to support an appropriate cause provided it does not make inappropriate allusions.

Headwear: Hats, bandanas, and sunglasses will not be permitted indoors and must be stored in student lockers during the school day. Accommodations for religious reasons are permitted.

Letter Jacket: Letter-earning participants in extracurricular activities are eligible to purchase a letter jacket.  Letter jackets may be worn in class.  Students may only wear their own letter jackets.

Outerwear: All jackets, sweatshirts, and other outerwear should be free of distracting or inappropriate images and messages.  Outerwear must be stored in student lockers during the school day.    Except for the school letter jacket, outerwear may not be worn in classrooms.

Additional Guidelines: If an item of dress or appearance is deemed incongruent with the standards of the Academy by an administrator, the student must alter his dress or appearance in accordance with the administrator’s directive.

Uniform items must be properly-fitting, neat in appearance and free of stains, tears or excessive wear. Temporary or permanent visible tattoos are not permitted; this includes pen and ink drawing or writing on the skin.

 

Non-Uniform Dress Code for Special Events

Athletic Practice and Outdoor Field Day Dress Code

Just as the Academy provides guidelines for dress code in the classroom, it is important to project the image of professionalism in our athletic attire as well.

All shirts worn for athletic practices and field day should be modest, loose fitting, in good repair (no holes, torn sleeves, etc), should be worn either tucked in or well over the waist of the pants/shorts if not tucked in. No midriffs may be shown. T-shirts are preferred—no tank tops, camisoles, or sports bras may be worn as outer-garments. Sleeveless shirts may be worn if modest.

Pants/shorts should be modest, in good repair (no holes, torn sleeves, etc.) Pants should be worn at the waist and should be no shorter than mid-thigh, and no-longer than just below the knee. No short-shorts or long baggy shorts may be worn. No boxers or undergarments may be visible. No yoga pants.

Attire should be free of inappropriate messages. Sports team logos (e.g., Diamondbacks, Notre Dame), and apparel brand names (e.g., Adidas, Abercrombie) are acceptable, provided they do not make inappropriate allusions. These guidelines also apply to sweatshirts and jackets that students may wear. Footwear should be athletic in nature: no sandals, open-toed, or platform shoes. Hats and sunscreen may be appropriate, if the students will be in the sun. Hat styles should follow the same guidelines as above.

Semi-formal Events Dress Code

There are specific, semi-formal dress requirements for special events, including periodic fine arts concerts and the end-of-year ceremonies (such as commencement and graduation).

Concert dress is, for boys and girls, white and black. Boys wear white collared dress shirts with black slacks and black dress shoes. Girls wear a white blouse with a black skirt or black dress slacks and black dress shoes (open-toed shoes and reasonable heels are permitted.

The semi-formal dress code for boys is dress slacks (no jeans or patched pocket pants), a collared dress shirt, dark socks, dress shoes (no sneakers or sandals). For commencement, graduating 8th graders must wear a tie. No dyed hair or hats. Hair should be trimmed appropriately.

The semi-formal dress code for girls is as follows modest-length skirts or dresses with hems that approach the knee, or appropriately fitting dress slacks; bare midriffs are not acceptable. Modestly-cut sleeveless tops/dresses are allowed; ladies may not wear strapless, spaghetti-strap, or tank tops. Girls should wear dress shoes. No flip-flops. Hair should be styled appropriately.

 

Footwear at Veritas Prep

Below are examples of shoes that both conform and do not conform to the dress code, which are provided as examples only and do not constitute all of the permissible or non-permissible shoes that may be worn.

Sample shoes that conform to the dress code:

Sample shoes that do not conform to the dress code: