Life at Bement: Lower School Look Ahead

For the week of June 24, 2010

 

 

Updated August 26, 2010

 

 

_____________________________________

 

Dear New and Returning Lower School Parents,

 

I am finishing up reading Spring teacher reports and they will be mailed to returning parents shortly. In the meantime, here are the first of several notices you will receive from me electronically this summer! The first is the DRESS CODE. I hope that having it now will help you as you shop for next year's school clothes. There are no changes in it from last year. Please remember that all students must wear a collared shirt or turtleneck every day, all students must have sneakers at school every day for PE, and that all clothing must be marked with your child's name. Thanks in advance for your attention to these details!

There is also an important notice below for new families from our Admission Office, as well as a notice for all families about The Ballet School at Bement.

Have a great summer and keep watching your email for more Bement information!

Yours,

Carole

 

Carole Pennock

Lower School Head

 

FROM THE LOWER SCHOOL:

 

STUDENT DRESS CODE

 

ALL STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE NEAT, CLEAN AND PRESENTABLE.

 

Bement is a school of many traditions. One of these is our dress code. We feel that students show respect for themselves and for others when they take the time to be neat, clean, and presentable. We encourage our students to take pride in themselves through adherence to our dress code.

 

Students should come to school dressed appropriately for the weather. They must have sneakers and adequate outdoor clothes for recess and PE every day. During winter term snow pants, winter boots, coat, hat, and gloves are required every day.

 

Every student in K-3 should have an extra change of clothing (including underwear and socks) in a plastic bag in his or her cubby at all times.

 

All clothing should be marked with students' names or initials. This makes it easy to return clothing to rightful owners.

 

Clothing should not be distracting. Teachers who deem a student's clothing or accessories to be distracting may ask to have a particular item removed or replaced.

 

Pants:

• Low-rise pants are not acceptable school dress. All midriff skin MUST be covered whether student is sitting or standing.

• Blue jeans, tie-dyed pants, camouflage pants, and oversized pants ARE NOT acceptable school dress.

• Students MAY wear colored jeans and overalls that are not blue denim, as well as cargo pants and painter pants that are not camouflage.

• Zip pants - Pants with a lower portion that zips off may be worn. When the lower portion is unzipped, however, it must be removed from the body and put in a cubby or desk.

• Sweatpants and athletic pants (nylon running or wind pants) are NOT acceptable school dress.

Tops:

• All tops for boys and girls must have a collar or a turtleneck.

• T-shirts (long and short sleeved), tank tops, halter tops, and tube tops are not acceptable school dress.

• Henleys and mock turtlenecks are not acceptable school dress.

• Tops should not be made of blue denim.

• Tops should not be abbreviated.  They should be able to be tucked in.

• Tops may not have large logos or words on the front, back, and/or sleeves.

• Shirts that button must be buttoned.  They may only be unbuttoned for recess and PE.

• Students may wear t-shirts under their shirts and may remove shirts for PE (not recess) and wear the t-shirt to PE.

• Collared shirts must be put back on and buttoned up following PE.

• T-shirts worn under school shirts may NOT hang below the shirts. Students will be asked to remove the t-shirt if its hem hangs below their school shirt.

• Sweaters must be worn with a collared shirt or turtleneck underneath.

• Hooded sweaters, cotton or wool knit, (but not hooded sweatshirts or hooded velour tops) MAY be worn as classroom dress.  Hoods, however, may not be worn on heads indoors.

Other:

• Jean jackets and athletic clothing (including hooded and traditional sweatshirts and velour sweatwear) are not acceptable school dress.

• Coordinated sweatsuits with a collared shirt underneath are acceptable for children in grades K-2 only.

• Sweatshirts are not acceptable school wear.  They must NOT be used as jackets or sweaters.

• Jumpers must have collared shirts or turtlenecks underneath.

• Summer sundresses may be worn with a non-collared rounded neckline.  Sundresses may not be worn with spaghetti straps, halter tops, or backless tops.

• Skirts must be no shorter than mid-thigh.

• Pajamas are not allowed as school dress.

Sandals/Shorts/Shoes:

• Approved sandals and shorts may be worn all fall and spring terms. They may not be worn in the winter term.

• Students may not wear athletic shorts, biking pants, jean shorts, or short shorts.

• All shorts must be no shorter than mid-thigh.

• For safety reasons children in grades K-2 may NOT wear flip-flops (or other backless sandals) or high-heeled shoes.  Sneakers are the best choice for everyday wear for all lower schoolers.  Children in grades 3-5 are allowed to wear flip-flops or backless sandals, but may NOT wear high heeled shoes of any kind (including boots and sandals) with a heel higher than one inch.

• Any sandals with straps must have sturdy straps.

• Sneakers must be worn to PE. They are the only acceptable shoes for PE.

• Sandals may NOT be worn to PE.

Hair:

• Students may dye their hair natural colors.

• Students may not come to school with their hair dyed non-traditional hair colors.  If they do so, they will be asked to go home to wash the dye out and will not be readmitted until their hair is a natural color.

• Children in inappropriate school dress may be asked to change into extra clothes kept in the Lower School Head's office.  Parents will be contacted if a child's dress is continually inappropriate.  If in doubt, please contact a lower school teacher or school administrator.

Monday Dress is a special tradition at Bement when the entire community dresses uniformly.  On most Mondays, lower school students should wear the following:

 

Boys:

• Khaki slacks                

• White shirt with tie or turtleneck (K, 1, 2 boys may wear polo shirts with ties)

• Ties must be tied at all times

Girls:    

• Khaki skirt, skort or slacks

• White blouse or white turtleneck

Both:     

• Navy Bement v-neck sweater or navy blazer with Bement patch

• Khaki shorts (fall and spring terms only)

• Sneakers

Formal Monday Dress is required on designated occasions such as formal assemblies, Baccalaureate, and Commencement.  For formal Monday Dress, lower school students must wear:

 

Boys:

• Khaki slacks

• White dress shirt (no polo shirts) with a tie                  

Girls:     

• Khaki skirt or skort

• White blouse             

Both:

• Navy blazer with Bement patch

• Dress shoes (not sneakers) (Bement patches may be obtained in Bement's business office)

* Please note: Everyone has a navy blazer or Bement sweater, so it is imperative that your child's name is in your child's blazer or sweater.  That way, they can be returned easily to their rightful owners.

Remember: "NEAT, CLEAN, AND PRESENTABLE."

 

FROM THE ADMISSION OFFICE:

 

NEW STUDENT PHOTO REQUEST Before our new students arrive in September, the Admission Office introduces them to our faculty with the help of photographs. We would be grateful if all parents of new students would send a recent photo (informal headshot) of their child by email, preferably, to Mrs. Kapteyn in the Admission Office at kkapteyn@bement.org or by snailmail to Bement Admissions, PO Box 8, 94 Old Main Street, Deerfield, MA 01342. Our 2010 new student photos will remain on display in Admissions for the whole year and are enjoyed as much by visitors to the school as by our own community.

 

FROM THE BALLET SCHOOL AT BEMENT:

 

BALLET AT BEMENT The Ballet School at Bement offers quality dance instruction for boys, girls and adults. Classes are age appropriate, helping students discover the joyous world of dance, music and art while teaching them correct technique as they progress through the levels. Program Director and Teacher Janine Parker has been teaching for over twenty years, and has served in supervisory/directorial roles at Boston Ballet School, the Walnut Hill School for the Performing Arts, and Pioneer Valley Ballet. Currently she is also adjunct dance faculty at Williams College, and writes occasionally about dance for The Boston Globe. For more information about summer classes or the school year program, please contact Janine Parker at jparker@bement.org or 413-774-7061 x 130.