School Board Policy

The Paulding County Board of Education believes in the importance of regular school attendance. While students are encouraged to be at school every day possible, we realize that at times students must miss school for legitimate reasons. Attendance though, is calculated when a school goes to make AYP. It is important homework is made up and students stay on track with their studies.

If your child is absent from school, please send the homeroom teacher a written note within three (3) days of the date of the absence. All excuses will be evaluated by the principal or his/her designee to determine if the excuse is lawful/excused or unlawful/unexcused. Phone calls from the parent to the school or from the school to the parent do not result in the absence being excused.

Excused absences are:

• Personal illness

• When attendance by the student would endanger the health of him/herself or others
• A serious illness or death in the student's immediate family
• When the student absence is mandated by a government agency such as a court
• Observance of religious holidays
• When conditions render attendance impossible or hazardous to student health/safety

Please see Paulding County Board Policy JB. This policy is available here.

http://www.paulding.k12.ga.us/files/Attendance_Protocol_5-31-05.pdf

Board Policy & Administrative Regulation Descriptor Code: JCDB & JCDB-R

Student Dress Code

Students attending the Paulding County Schools are expected to dress in an appropriate manner for school.

The administration and staff of each school shall develop guidelines relative to the dress codes which are

appropriate and reasonable for the maturation ages of the students at each school.

The Paulding County School Board and administration acknowledge that good grooming and personal

attire positively affect student achievement and conduct while helping prepare all students for later success

in the world of work. This dress code was developed through the direction of the superintendent and with

the cooperation of parents, students, teachers, and administrators.

This dress code is designed to reduce the likelihood of distraction or disruption and to maintain an

academic focus in the classroom and on campus. The administration reserves the right to determine if

items of clothing are too casual, too revealing, or too distracting for school dress.

Approved for School Wear

Pants and Shorts

• Length must be appropriate (5” from the top of kneecap as measured by a ruler or the width of a 3

x 5 index card);

• Size appropriate-waist, seat and inseam; must be hemmed or cuffed;

• Cannot be altered from their original form.

Skirts and Dresses

• Skirts must be size appropriate and be worn at waistline;

• Shoulders must be covered and arm holes must be tight fitting;

• Length must be appropriate (3” from the top of the kneecap as measured by a ruler or the length of

a 3 x 5 index card);

• Slits in skirts must be appropriate (no slit above the three inch rule);

• Cannot be altered from their original form.

Shirts and Blouses

• Must be size appropriate;

• Long or short sleeved, dress shirt, polo type, sleeveless with appropriate, tight-fitting armholes (no

tank tops, no halter tops, no spaghetti straps);

• T-shirts or sweatshirts must have no writing, pictures, or graphics that unreasonably attract the

attention of other students or cause disruption or interference with the operation of the school (e.g.,

vulgarity, sexual innuendo);

• Shirttails must be below the belt line even with arms raised above the head or when the student is

seated;

• Cannot be altered from their original form.

Shoes

• All students must wear appropriate shoes (examples: dress, tennis, flip-flops, clogs).

Not Approved for School Wear

• Pants that touch the ground or floor;

• Wide legged pants, skin-tight pants, form-fitting clothing;

• Pants with holes, appearance of a hole, frays, rips, or tears above the knees;

• Patches above the knees;

• Pants, dresses, skirts, and shirts that have frayed ends;

• See-through clothing;

• Sleeveless shirts, blouses, without appropriate (tight-fitting) armholes;

• Deep-scooped necklines;

• Clothing that shows the bare midriff, bare back or the bare shoulders;

• Pajamas, bedroom shoes, or other sleepwear;

• Articles of clothing which advertise or display the symbols of drugs, tobacco products or alcoholic

beverages;

• Clothing which may be considered racially insensitive or which displays or implies profane or

obscene language or symbols;

• Emblems, insignias, badges, tattoos, or other symbols where the effect thereof is to unreasonably

attract the attention of other students or cause disruption or interference with the operation of the

school;

• Headgear is prohibited and must be kept out of sight on the school campus during the school day.

This includes, but is not limited to, caps, hats, hoods, bandanas, wave caps, sweatbands,

sunglasses, or any other head covering. No headphones, combs, rakes, curlers, or picks can be

worn in the hair. Exceptions for religious or medical reasons to be granted by the principal.

• Chains hanging from wallets or clothing;

• Exposure of undergarments of any type;

• Display or wearing of any gang articles, paraphernalia or clothing that can be construed as being

gang related (e.g. bandanas, sweat bands, head rags, etc.);

• Jewelry that is offensive, distracts, or is studded or pointed is unacceptable. Heavy chains are not

allowed.

Notes:

Uniforms for school related activities are acceptable as approved by the school administration. Female

cheerleaders must wear warm-ups under cheerleading uniforms except during games and pep rallies.

The school administration reserves the right to alter the dress code for special occasions or extracurricular

activities. Parents who require an exemption from the dress code for religious, cultural or short-term

medical reasons may make application to the principal.

This dress code regulation may be modified by the principal at grades K-

Home School Policy

An Important notice regarding Home schooling Children with Disabilities is available here.

Printable versions of Home School information can be found here.

Please see Paulding County Board Policy JBC(4). This is the policy for validating home school credit. It can be found here.