NHMS Dress Code Policy & Cell Phone/Electronics Policy

 

 

Please ensure your students are following our dress code policy. Thank you!

Pants, shorts, or skirts should be navy blue or khaki. Pant legs should not be twisted or rolled up. Shorts and skirts should be fingertip length or longer. (No spandex or tights; No cargo pants, please)

Shirts should be light-blue (Carolina Blue), white, red, or navy blue; polo style or button-down with no logos and should be tucked in; sweaters, sweatshirts and hoodies should be school colors, no logos except for New Heights Middle School. Hoods should NOT be worn in the building. Hats are not allowed, unless it is specified for a specific dress down day or special event - these days will be announced in advance to students who want to participate in the activity, after approval by the Principal. Sweaters should NOT have zippers. Hoodies should NOT have zippers.

 

 

The following includes our standards for uniform days and for regular dress down days:

 

Belts should be brown, black, navy, or khaki-colored with no studs, spikes, no detachable buckles.

 

Jackets/coats/hats or toboggans of all colors may be worn; however, they must be placed in the locker before the school day begins.

Clothing should not be excessively tight nor excessively loose fitting. No crop tops/open midriff tops (top should cover from the top of the chest to the bottom of the waist and should cover the top of the pants. Tops should not be tied up in the back to resemble a crop top). No tank tops; No see-through clothing. No pajamas. 

Shoes must match in color and style; No open-toed shoes; No slides; No bedroom shoes.

 

On Dress Down Days: Jeans should have NO holes above the knee. 

 

Jewelry should not be spiked, gaudy or dangling.

 

Students may wear Spirit shirts and Central High School paraphernalia ONLY on days designated by Principal.

Students may wear a small sling bag during the day. (The Sling Bag should fit inside the basket underneath the desk.)

 

Students may have standard-sized bookbags in class. Measurements of a standard-size book bag are 22" x 14" x 9". 

 

Students are NOT allowed to bring rolling bags, oversized bags, luggage bags, duffle bags, etc.

 

Students are NOT allowed to bring blankets, stuffed animals, pillows, footballs, baseballs, soccer balls, volley balls from home.  New Heights personnel are not responsible for unallowed items lost or stolen which have been brought from home.

 

Athletes are allowed to store their athletic bags in a different location during the school day, and they are allowed to pick up their athletic bags following afternoon dismissal.

 

Band members who play large instruments are allowed to leave their instrument in a designated location, and they are allowed to pick up the instrument following afternoon dismissal, if needed. 

 

 

1. First Offense—Verbal/written warning

2. Second/Third Offense—Parent contact, discipline referral, and spend the remainder of the day in ISS

3. Fourth Offense—1 day of OSS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. First Offense - Verbal/written warning

 

2. Second, Third, Fourth Offense: 1 day ISS

 

3. Fifth Offense or More - 1 day OSS

 

Cell phone/air buds/head phones/electronic devices will be collected from the student on every offense, turned in to the Main Office, and will be returned to the student at the end of the school day.

 

 

 

 

 

As of January 2025

New State Cell Phone Policy for Schools   

 

The State of South Carolina Board of Education adopted a model policy prohibiting the use of personal electronic devices during the school day on September 3, 2024. This new policy will be effective January 2025. This will be a huge adjustment for not only our students, but also for our parents. The proviso reads as follows:

 

Proviso 1.103 in the General Appropriations Bill, H.5100 of 2024: To receive state funds allocated for State Aid to Classrooms, a school district shall implement a policy adopted by the State Board of Education that prohibits access to personal electronic communication devices by students during the school day. For purposes of this provision, a personal electronic communication device is considered to be a device not authorized for classroom use by a student, utilized to access the Internet, wi-fi, or cellular telephone signals.

 

Starting January 2025, students will not be allowed to have cell phones powered on in the building during any part of the instructional day. This includes lunch time and at the change of classes. Cell phones will have to be powered off and placed in their book bags until the day has ended. Headphones and ear buds will also be prohibited. The best option is to leave cell phones and other electronic devices at home, if possible. I know this will be a huge adjustment for everyone. Parents, I am asking for your support with the implementation of this policy. Please assist us in this very challenging task of eliminating the distraction of cell phones during the day. If you need to message your student, please call the office and we will make sure they get the message. I do not want the cell phone policy to become a point of contention between our school and our families. If your student is caught with their phone or any other electronic device out, the phone and/or device will be taken, turned into the office and the student may pick it up at the end of the day. Multiple phone/electronic offenses will result in school discipline including ISS and OSS. Please have a discussion with your student as we must implement this policy.

 

Thank you in advance for your support as we navigate this new policy. We humbly ask that you partner with us so our students are “Free to Focus” on their education as we eliminate this huge distraction and source of drama in our school.

 

W. Kevin Mabe, Principal

New Heights Middle School