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School committee votes to make North Middle School uniform pilot mandatory
Summary
The committee voted 7'to make the North Middle School voluntary uniform pilot permanent and mandatory after hearing Principal Allison Ramsey's presentation on family and student support, equity measures and a fundraising plan to provide shirts to students in need.
After a yearlong voluntary pilot at North Middle School, the school committee voted Aug. 4 to make the program permanent and mandatory at that building. Principal Allison Ramsey told the committee the pilot began from family and student feedback and that surveys showed strong support — she said about 90'5 of incoming families supported uniforms and that fundraised money allowed the school to provide one shirt to each incoming student.
"We had many family nights... we fundraised enough money so that every single North student can receive one uniform shirt of their choice," Ramsey said, describing distribution, options (purple, gray and an added black shirt requested by students) and a QR-ordering page used last year.
Committee members asked about voluntariness, equity and the administrative mechanics of expansion. Member comments ranged from support of student choice to a motion to make the pilot mandatory. A motion to make North Middle School's uniform program permanent and mandatory was made, seconded and approved with seven yes votes (Mister Pina; Miss Azek; Mister Rodriguez; Miss Oliver; Mister Gomes; Miss Centeo; Mister Sullivan), the chair announced.
The superintendent said the committee would need to consider districtwide impacts if expansion were proposed and noted supports for McKinney-Vento students and a plan to continue supply and ordering links districtwide. The handbook was later amended to reflect the North Middle School decision.
The vote applies to North Middle School only; committee members said any districtwide change would require separate discussion and policy work.
