Director's Message - January 2012

Dear ALA Families,

Can it be that January 2012 is here already? Impossible as it seems, a new year is about to begin. It's going to be a fantastic year. Report cards will be coming home on January 6th, please review your child's progress with him or her. As always, teachers are available for any questions or concerns.

I want to thank each family that attended Parent Teacher Conferences. We are fortunate to have a strong home-school connection. When you take time from your busy schedule to attend conferences, programs and meetings this tells your child that school is important. We appreciate your involvement.

This past month we reviewed our dress code policy with our teachers and students. Students out of dress code disrupt the daily operations of the school. It is the parent and the student's responsibility to adhere to the dress code.

I am asking for your help and support with dress code! Parents and guardians, as always, the reasons to adhere to the dress code are numerous. One that is rarely discussed is our teachers. At ALA we have some of the best teachers I have seen in the three decades I have been in education. They work every day to have a classroom full of life-skills, learning and leadership lessons. What is asked of our teachers concerning dress code is a distraction for both teacher and student. The very word “distraction” is what began the brain-storming to create a dress code in 2004.

The purpose of the dress code is not to restrict student expression, but to elevate the learning environment. Teachers are distracted because they have to watch dress code, and follow through with an expected consequence, all while trying to teach the lesson they prepared. For example, a young lady walks in late for class in a shirt that is immodest. The teacher has to stop teaching and address the matter. Another example, a young man walks in with his shirt un-tucked. The teacher has to stop teaching and ask the student to tuck his shirt in. This disrupts learning. The teacher then must escort the student to the front office to be ticketed. This takes the teacher away from the class and what has been prepared to be taught. Valuable academic time is lost.

Dress code is the parent and student’s responsibility, not the teachers. Please as a parent/guardian do everything you can to ensure that your student leaves the house with their hair the appropriate length, the clothes modest, in good repair, and within the guidelines set forth by the dress code.

Students are expected to follow the dress code. Beginning Monday morning, January 9, 2012, students out of dress code will be sent home or to a classroom until the dress code violation is corrected. If by 10:00am it is not “fixed”, the student will be put in in-school suspension. Students will not be allowed in the class if they are out of dress-code. This includes hair and facial hair.

To refresh yourself on dress code procedures, refer to the Dress Code Procedures and Discipline document (revised) that is included in the attachments at the end of the newsletter below, visit our website, or pick up a copy from the front office. As of Monday, January 9th, 2012, the Dress Code Discipline for grades 7-12 as written in the secondary student planner is null and void and will be replaced with the Dress Code Discipline for grades 7-12 as outlined on the first page of the newsletter below.

This information is for the Secondary grades. Information regarding Elementary dress code will be coming from the elementary principal, Mr. Carpenter in the near future.

It is an exclusive privilege to be a student at American Leadership Academy. Both school and dress code were established before a brick was laid. Please assist us in securing the foundational piece of our school.

Warm regards,
Kenna Marrelli


January 2012 Director's Newsletter

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