Elementary Student Uniforms Grades K–6

	Boys	Girls
Pants/Skirts	Dark-wash jeans, navy or khaki chinos	Dark-wash jean, navy or khaki chinos or skirt/jumper
Shirts	Navy, white or burgundy polo	Navy, white or burgundy polo
Sweaters	Navy: pullover, cardigan	Navy: pullover, cardigan
Shoes	Conservative athletic or dress	Conservative athletic or dress

Elementary Student Clarification

• Navy or khaki chino shorts may be worn August-October and April-June (mid-thigh or longer, no denim or cutoffs).
• Shirts are tucked in. Pants/shorts may have a solid brown leather belt.
• Conservative shoes consist of traditional styles/colors (ie: no superhero, light-up, neon or bright colors).
• Tights, leggings or shorts are worn under skirts/jumpers.

Secondary Student Uniforms Grades 7–9

	Boys	Girls
Pants/Skirts	Dark-wash jeans, navy or khaki chinos	Dark-wash jean, navy or khaki chinos or skirt/jumper
Shirts	Navy, or burgundy polo, white oxford	Navy, or burgundy polo, white blouse
Sweaters	Navy: pullover, cardigan, VCCA logo qtr. zip	Navy: pullover, cardigan, VCCA logo qtr. zip
Shoes	Solid white “leather” sneakers or dress	Solid white “leather” sneakers or dress

Secondary Student Clarification

• Shirts are tucked in and worn with a solid brown leather belt for men. Ladies are not required to tuck in shirts.
• Men’s dress shoes are brown. Ladies’ dress shoes are closed-toe brown (minor accent colors are acceptable, e.g. black/white soles, buckle, etc.).
• All sneakers are solid white (sole, insignia, stitching, etc.) and low top. No canvas or athletic/running style shoes.

All School Clarification

• Not permitted: embroidery (other than VCCA logo), sandals, capris, leggings, jeggings, hoods/hats, sweatshirts, distracting styles (e.g. dyed or unkempt hair, boys’ jewelry, dangling keychains, torn, faded, or soiled clothes, overdone makeup or jewelry, tattoos, immodesty, visible undergarments, over or undersized clothing, long hair or facial hair for boys, etc.). Non-uniform outer garments may not be worn indoors during school hours.
• Skirts must be knee-length or longer.
• Items are not brand specific. You are free to shop around.

Where to Get Uniforms

We have a school store set up with Lands End if you are interested in purchasing uniforms with our school logo. It is not required to have the logo on the uniforms. Link to Lands End Store

Some of our families purchase their uniforms from Target. Link to Target Uniforms

You can also order uniforms from Amazon. Link to Amazon Uniforms

School Uniform Rationale

Our development of a uniform policy is driven by a desire to create and promote an environment of learning where dress is not a distraction to the educational process based on the following principles:

1. All human actions, including outward manifestations such as clothing, reveal and communicate the disposition of the heart at some level. It is our desire to address these heart issues in one uniform policy rather than seeking to anticipate and curb the numerous manifestations of it that surface throughout the year with a looser dress code.
2. Clothing represents the vocational calling of a person, and inherent in the uniform policy is a desire to create an environment where undue attention is not drawn to specific students. The neat appearance created by a uniform enhances a ready-to-learn atmosphere.
3. Uniforms help engender a cohesive presentation of the students in our school. When our students are in uniform, it communicates, aesthetically, that they are part of the same team, working toward the same goals. The student is part of a group identity that strives for excellence, and the code establishes a tradition toward that end.
4. The uniform code should save the parents money. The uniform code de-emphasizes the social impact of dress and helps focus the students on character and academic issues.
5. The uniform code addresses security. On field trips, students in uniform aid the teachers in keeping track of everyone. On the playground or in the school, teachers and staff can clearly identify students from outsiders.

Students are expected to be in uniform while on campus unless specified otherwise by the administration. The administration is responsible for the interpretation of the policy, and the enforcement of the policy is the responsibility of parents, administration, and staff. If a student comes to school out of uniform five times in a year, it will result in an office visit.

Frequently Asked Uniform Questions

Tops:

1. Do the girls have to tuck all shirts in, regardless of the cut? Elementary girls do. Secondary girls do not.
2. My daughter has a pretty camisole that she wears under her shirt for modesty purposes. Should it be tucked in? Yes, it should. Camisoles are undershirts and are considered undergarments and they must be out of sight.
3. Is it alright to wear a sweater without a polo underneath? No, it isn’t.
4. What kind of sweaters are allowed? Most navy sweaters are acceptable. No sweatshirts of any style are permitted except the VCCA logo quarter zip. Sweaters may not have hoods, logos, or prints other than the VCCA logo (which is optional).

Bottoms:

1. What kinds of leggings are acceptable for girls? Stockings, tights, nylons and footless leggings are all fine under a skirt. Footless leggings or jeggings are not allowed to be worn alone without a skirt. Socks, stockings, tights, and nylons must be conservative, plain, and solid white, navy, black, brown (or skin-colored for nylons), or gray.
2. What does ‘at least knee-length’ mean for skirts? All skirts in secondary must be to the knee. This is the area from the top of the knee down. Long skirts are fine. Anything that ends above the top of the knee is too short. A small slit on the back of a pencil skirt that extends slightly above that is acceptable; front slits should not go above the top of the knee. All skirt styles are permitted, but no prints are appropriate. Skirts should not be worn tight.
3. What qualifies as a dark wash jean? All denim must be solid and dark blue, without distressing, excessive fading or “whiskering”. Black and gray denim are not acceptable.

Accessories & Miscellaneous:

1. How do I know how tight is too tight for my daughter’s shirts, sweaters, and pants? Shirts should have some fabric loose on them when worn, and not be pulled tight against the body or be pulling at the buttons. Jeggings/leggings are not appropriate for school, and the pants should not be pulled tight against the body, but be slightly relaxed in order to look like pants and not like leggings.
2. How long must my son’s hair be to qualify as long hair? If a young man’s hair is below the middle of his collar, hanging down in his face, covering the sides of his ears, or in a bun it will be considered too long.
3. What kind of jewelry is appropriate for my daughter? Small earrings on the lobe are fine. Earrings up around the top of the ear or anywhere else are inappropriate. Necklaces/bracelets/rings are all acceptable, but should not be distracting.
4. Is it okay for girls to wear colored hair accessories? As long as they match the outfit and are not distracting, they are fine. Girls are not limited to navy/white for hair accessories.
5. My son likes to wear a necklace or bracelet to school. Is that okay? Young men are not permitted to wear visible jewelry or bracelets of any kind to school (non-smart watches are permitted.)
6. My son likes to wear orange t-shirts under his uniform shirt. Is that okay? T-shirts and camisoles must be solid white if they are visible at all.
7. My student runs cold. Can she wear a thermal layer under her long-sleeved polo? Certainly, as long as it is not visible.
8. My student wears a fitbit that does not connect to the internet or have wifi capabilities. Is that alright? Any watch or fitness device that has a dark screen is not permitted. Regular watches are fine.

Shoes:

1. My secondary daughter likes to wear wellies/rain boots to school. Do these qualify as dress shoes?No, they do not.
2. Are elementary students allowed to wear athletic shoes? Elementary students may wear conservative athletic or dress shoes (conservative means no super-man-light-up shoes).
3. Can my secondary student wear athletic shoes? Secondary students must wear dress shoes or solid white leather or leather-look sneakers. Athletic/running style or canvas shoes are not acceptable.
4. What qualifies as a dress shoe for secondary girls? Flats, mary janes, pumps, dress boots, and wedges are all acceptable, but they must be brown leather or leather-look. They may not wear canvas shoes, boat shoes, or skater shoes of any kind, even if they have been ‘dressed up’ by being leather or wedges. All dress shoes need to be closed-toe.