Students attending St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Stratford will wear a uniform this fall.
The Board of Trustees for the Huron-Perth Catholic District School Board has adopted a renewed student dress code, which requires a uniform in secondary schools.
There is already an established school uniform at St. Anne’s Catholic Secondary School in Clinton.
The board hosted consultations with students, staff, parents, and parish representatives.
Trustees concluded that uniforms in secondary schools are a positive chance to support students who want acceptance and a need to feel included, regardless of financial status. Students who have financial needs will be supported when it comes time to purchase the uniforms.
St. Mike's Principal Dan Peters will be meeting with the students this week to gather ideas for the colours, design and garments of the new student uniform.
"Uniforms provide one less thing to worry about every day," says Student Trustee Leah Martens. "There is no deciding what to wear in the mornings, no pressure to dress as nicely as the person who sits beside you in class, and no one notices if you wear the same thing twice. Most importantly, wearing a school uniform is an outward sign that everyone belongs."
Katelyn Mathieson, another student trustee, agreed saying "along with its many benefits, it allows for the opportunity for a safer school campus as it is easier to identify a person who is not meant to be in our buildings."
Grace McEwin, parent and chair of the Catholic School Advisory Council, says "It unifies the school community and gives students and parents peace of mind with regards to what to wear from day to day. I feel this change is a positive one that will foster a greater sense of fellowship among the student body."