School District 73 is reviewing its dress code policy and is hoping to have something available for feedback within the coming months.

The issue came forward at the board meeting held on Monday, March 8.

Board Chair Rhonda Kershaw says it has been talking about the dress code in the background for many months alter it was brought forward by student voice groups last year saying it needed to be updated. “Three months ago senior staff started to work through the policy. It is going through its review and the legal review and things like that. So once that policy is completed, hopefully here in the next month or two, we will be sending it out to all our stakeholders and getting their feedback.”

Kershaw is expecting a lot of feedback on the policy after the incident at NorKam Secondary last month. Several dozen students at the school staged a walkout in response to what happened. (pictured)

Kershaw notes that any potential changes likely won’t be implemented before the next school year. “We really we want to do it right. We don’t want to do it quickly. We don’t want to just sort of slam something into place in response to an incident. Especially since that work was already ongoing.”

Superintendent Terry Sullivan spoke briefly to the matter at Monday’s board meeting. “Once we have all of that input we will draft a new dress code and administrative procedure based on the comments that we have received from all our stakeholder groups. Once that is complete we will of course draft a new school district administrative procedure on dress codes. And once that is complete, each school will be expected to have a dress code policy or procedure that is in conformity with the new school district administrative procedure.”

” We will take the time that is necessary to complete this and ensure that all of our stakeholder groups have an opportunity… as well for the board input before we finalize it and send it out to schools.”