Dress Code
Lakewood High School (LHS) student dress expectations, referred to as “the dress code,” articulate what is expected of students on school property as a representation of what it means to be part of the Lakewood community.
The goal is that all students feel comfortable in their own bodies as well as in the school building.
LHS strongly encourages all students to choose clothing that is appropriate for a school environment. The LHS community fosters diversity, equity and inclusion. This dress code makes every effort to remove all biases on the basis of gender, sex, ability, body type, race and religion to maintain every student’s right to learn and to maintain their safety in our school.
What Students Must Wear
- Shirt – Any garment with straps that covers the entire torso, including one’s back
- Bottoms – Pants or the equivalent (jeans, sweatpants, skirt, leggings, dress or shorts) worn at the waistline
- Shoes – Outdoor footwear (no slippers)
Note: Clothing must cover all private areas of the body with non-transparent material.
What Students May Wear
- Athletic attire
- Ripped jeans provided that one’s underwear or buttocks are not exposed
- Headwear
- Headbands and hair accessories that keep the face visible
- Specialized attire, such as uniforms or safety gear, as required by the course in which enrolled
What Students May Not Wear
- Hoods or other headgear that obscures security camera footage (except as a religious observance or for health reasons)
- Clothing that contains images or language depicting or suggesting:
- Drugs or alcohol
- Violent language or images
- Vaping or other paraphernalia (of any illegal item or activity)
- Hate speech or anything perpetuating discriminatory ideas on the basis of race, sex, religion, ability, sexuality, etc.
- Images or language that creates a hostile or intimidating environment based on any community group or social class.
- Profanity
- Pornography
- Clothing or headwear containing gang identifiers (including blue and red bandanas) per Jeffco Board Policy JICA
- Accessories that could be considered dangerous or used as a weapon
- Any bulletproof vest, body armor or tactical gear
- Swimsuits (see additional notes)
- Blankets
Additional Considerations
- Clothing, including footwear, must be suitable for all scheduled classroom activities, including physical education, science labs and other activities where unique hazards exist.
- When student attire threatens the health or safety of any other person, discipline for the violation should be consistent with discipline policies for similar infractions.
- There will be no discrimination for any student based on the clothes they are wearing, as long as it does not violate the dress code.
- Clothing requirements and dress codes for participation in sports must be upheld.
- Swimsuits, pajamas, wrestling singlets or similar are allowed only as required for athletic events or special events (such as spirit days or assemblies) with prior permission from the administration.
Dress Code Enforcement
The dress code enforcement process should be one that does not call undue attention to the student or the teacher involved. To identify a student dress code violation, a teacher or administrator will discreetly send a dress expectation email explaining the infraction and the next steps for the student.
The email will encourage students and teachers to have a mutual understanding of the dress code and communicate with a counselor or administrator to help advise next steps. Instances when students neglect to adhere to the above code may require additional intervention or disciplinary action.
The Lakewood High School (LHS) dress code was designed in collaboration with LHS Women For the World in 2021-22. It was adopted with inspiration from Oneonta City School District in New York and Alameda Unified City School District in California. LHS dress expectations are in compliance with the Jeffco Board Policy JICA and have been cross-referenced with all publicly available information from other Jeffco high schools.
Dress Code Guidance in Jeffco
Responsibility for student dress and appearance generally rests with individual students and their families. Students may wish to express themselves by the manner of their dress and appearance; however, students shall not wear clothing or affect an appearance at school or school-sanctioned activities or events that is disruptive to the educational environment. Jeffco Public Schools standards on student attire are intended to help students focus on schoolwork, reduce discipline problems, and improve school order and safety.
Disciplinary action for violating the student dress code shall include notifying the student of the violation and requiring that the dress or appearance be corrected before the student reenters the classroom, school environment, or school-sanctioned activity or event. At the discretion of the building-level administrator, a family conference may be held. More serious consequences may result from repeated or serious violations.