Vincent Farm Elementary

Preferred Attire

As we planned for the opening of Vincent Farm Elementary in 2008, the majority of parents voted for “preferred attire” for their children, which consists of polo shirts (or solid T-shirts) and khakis (shorts, pants, capris, skirts, jumpers, skorts). Our kids look terrific and many visitors, who were coming to see the features of our brand new school, were struck, as well, by the exceptional appearance of the students! In fact, several other schools have since implemented preferred attire after seeing it at Vincent Farm!

The rationale behind preferred attire is that it:

reduces the cost of buying school clothes (as most students already have these items)
eliminates morning “conflicts” about what to wear
blurs socioeconomic lines, as students are not judged by the clothes they wear
reduces distractions and therefore sets a tone that the classroom is a serious place for learning
reduces peer pressure
promotes school pride

Preferred attire consists of any of the following:

Polo shirts (any color solid or striped)
Solid T-shirts (such as the Vincent Farm t-shirts)
Tan or khaki-colored pants, shorts, skirts, jumpers, capris, cargos
Footwear: Remember that your child will be active at recess and therefore, for safety reasons, we suggest that your child does not wear flipflops, heels, or heelies to school, as they are frequently the cause of injuries. Sneakers are required on days when your child has physical education class.
On cooler days, layering a long-sleeved shirt with a short-sleeved shirt, or wearing a solid sweater, is a perfect solution.

Midway through the first year, I met with a group of students who offered an excellent suggestion. They thought that gym days (physical education) would be an appropriate day for students to wear jeans…or whatever was especially comfortable for physical activity. Their logic was that more students would wear preferred attire on the other days. This is an option for your child if he/she would like.

We appreciate your support of preferred attire. Check out the slideshow which was created by two of our students, Tiffany Klingenstein and Deonte Terry. The photos speak for themselves: Our kids look SHARP!!