About Us

Dress Code

Attendance Procedures

In choosing to attend St. John Paul II Catholic Secondary School, students and their parents/guardians have chosen to make a commitment to comply with the school's uniform and dress code. SJPII students are expected to wear a uniform because we are committed to creating and maintaining a safe and secure school where outsiders are easily identified, and we believe that it is important to maintain standards of modesty, neatness, cleanliness, and good taste that reflect our Catholic values.

The compulsory uniform components are:

Pants/kilt - available from McCarthy Uniforms

• Charcoal grey pleated school dress or casual pants

• Charcoal grey flat front school dress or casual pants

• Girls only: school kilt or X-kilt (no shorter than 10cm above the knee & not to be rolled at the waist)

Golf Shirt - available from McCarthy Uniforms

• Short or long sleeved white or navy school tuck-under SJPII golf shirt with contrasting stripe (navy/white) bearing the school crest

Footwear

• Plain black shoes - These must be completely black, including the stitching and soles (no accents, trim, or logos of any type in white or any other colour) and fully enclosed. Students may not wear sandals, clogs, slippers or boots.

• Navy, black, or grey dress or casual socks. Girls may wear knee socks or tights. Tights must not be transparent (no panty hose) and footless tights are not allowed.

Shorts

Navy McCarthy Uniforms shorts can only be worn during the designated times that are outlined in the school calendar as set by the principal.

Summer Uniform

The Summer Uniform can be worn from the time period indicated in the school calendar that states "Summer Uniform Begins" to "Summer Uniform Ends".

Students are allowed to wear:

• Golf shirt (outlined above)

• Socks - dress or casual, black, navy or grey (outlined above)

• Shoes - plain black shoes (outlined above)

• McCarthy Uniforms shorts (outlined above)

Optional Uniform Components

The optional uniform components are:

• Navy blue zip-polo, fleece polo, v-necked long-sleeved sweater or the sleeveless vest, embroidered with the SJPII crest, available from McCarthy Uniforms. These items are not to be worn alone - they must be worn over the golf shirt outlined above.

*Please note that the Panther athletic sweater is NOT part of the school uniform.

As stated for each item, the school uniform components are available only from our approved supplier, McCarthy Uniforms, and must bear the McCarthy label. Other brands and styles are not permitted.

SJPII students are expected to be in full and proper uniform every school day, from the first day of school in September until the end of June examinations, unless specifically told otherwise by staff. Any student out of uniform may be sent home to change.

Students on school excursions are expected to comply with the specified dress requirements indicated on the permission form.

Civvies Days

Civvies days are held periodically. On these days, students are expected to dress in casual attire that is appropriate for a school setting (no bare backs, shoulders or mid-riffs, no décolletage, or clothing with inappropriate messages or graphics).

Other Dress Code Expectations

• Students are to remain in their school uniform throughout the entire school day, including lunch and spares/study periods and detentions.

• No student in any grade may wear a shirt and/or tie as uniform. These pieces were phased out several years ago and are no longer allowed.

• No head wear of any kind is permitted. This means none of the following may be work or visible: baseball or other caps, hats, durags, head bands, bandanas, scarves, etc. Students who wear these items can expect to have them immediately confiscated. On a first offence, they can usually be claimed at vice principal's office at the end of the day. On subsequent offences, the items may be held longer and there may be further consequences.

• No coats or jackets or any other outerwear is to be worn in the school.

• Only plain (without patterns, words or graphics) all-white tee-shirts may be worn under the uniform top. These tee-shirts must be worn fully tucked in.

• No student may wear long-sleeved items under short-sleeved items.

• Belts should be plain and all black.

The school uniform must be worn neatly and with pride. This means that:

• Uniforms will not be altered in any way.

• Uniform items will be fitted to the student and will not be oversized.

• Pants and kilts will be worn at the waist.

• Uniform pieces will be clean and in good repair.

• Excessive jewellery, large pendants, contrasting belts, sashes, or other forms of adornment are not acceptable.

Gang-related paraphernalia or insignia are not to be displayed at school, on the school grounds or at/during all school related activities. Gang-related paraphernalia or insignia may include any article of clothing, jewellery, or other similar items (bandana, grills, etc) that is intended to communicate an association with a gang or gang-related activity.

Decisions regarding appropriate and allowable accessories, grooming, etc, are at the discretion of the administration.

Students who do not arrive to class in full and proper uniform are in violation of the uniform policy, and will be sent to the main office for a violation slip. The events are recorded and consequences are administered.

Consequences for being out of uniform may be a warning, being sent home, serving a detention, and possibly, suspension - this will depend on the particular circumstances, the number of previous uniform violations, and the nature of the uniform violation itself.

• Students required to wear head coverings for religious convention may seek exemption with permission of the administration. These would be limited to solid black or blue colours.

All Elementary schools within the jurisdiction of the Board shall adopt an Appropriate Dress Code or Uniform Dress Code.

All Secondary schools within the jurisdiction of the Board shall adopt a Uniform Dress Code. 

Parents are encouraged to review the local dress code at their child’s school and to direct their questions to the principal of the school.