What is the dress code at Potomac Upper School?

[Anonymous]

The info on the Potomac website is below. How do the upper school boys dress on an average day (that is not a jacket and tie or other special day)? My son has some sensory issues and would prefer elastic waists and fleece on a daily basis. Can he get away with this (1) with the administration (not getting told to change); and (2) with the students (fitting in socially)? Thanks for your thoughts.

WHAT IS THE DRESS CODE?
The uniform and dress code at Potomac differs by division. The Lower School has a casual dress code, enabling children to wear comfortable clothing appropriate for their age group. In the Middle and Intermediate Schools, students wear uniforms. A detailed description will be sent to all new families. Upper School students do not wear uniforms but have a dress code. Students are required to wear dress/jacket and tie on many occasions throughout the year. Otherwise a smart dress code is followed.

[Anonymous]

My 11th grade son usually wears long sleeve polo shirt along with khaki paints and regular casual dress shoe M-F.

[Anonymous]

It means dress nicely, not fleece daily.

[Anonymous]

Lol and no belly shirts!!

[Anonymous]

Elastic waist pants for a high schooler??? Are you kidding? The only pants a high school boy should be wearing with an elastic waist are sports clothes - sweat pants or shorts and no, that’s not dress code appropriate. A plain fleece with normal khakis is fine tho.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Elastic waist pants for a high schooler??? Are you kidding? The only pants a high school boy should be wearing with an elastic waist are sports clothes - sweat pants or shorts and no, that’s not dress code appropriate. A plain fleece with normal khakis is fine tho.

Her kid has an issue and your response is pretty insensitive. How would anyone know if he had elastic waist khakis on if he doesn’t take off the fleece? That’s what she’s asking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Elastic waist pants for a high schooler??? Are you kidding? The only pants a high school boy should be wearing with an elastic waist are sports clothes - sweat pants or shorts and no, that’s not dress code appropriate. A plain fleece with normal khakis is fine tho.

Her kid has an issue and your response is pretty insensitive. How would anyone know if he had elastic waist khakis on if he doesn’t take off the fleece? That’s what she’s asking.

+1. OP clearly said DC has sensory issues. PP is an insensitive clod, and I hope not representative of Potomac US parents.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Wow. That is really hurtful, 13:51. For my own sanity, I am choosing to believe that something is really wrong in your life right now to make you act like this and I wish you well.

If the parent population at Potomac feels the same there is no way in hell I would send my kid there.

[Anonymous]

Tats must be covered

[Anonymous]

The dress code is basically no jeans or sweat pants/exercise pants and a shirt with a collar for boys, it seems to be a sort of HS version of "business casual".

I do not think there is anything specific about type of waistband, but there may be something about a belt. So, if you can find elastic waistband pants that are not jeans or exercise pants I think you'd be fine. Boys typically seem to wear khakis.

In MS and IS students must wear a belt if they wear pants (some circumvent this in cooler weather by wearing a fleece, but it's hard in warmer months b/c shirts must be tucked in). Since there is not a uniform, the US dress code is less specific.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Elastic waist pants for a high schooler??? Are you kidding? The only pants a high school boy should be wearing with an elastic waist are sports clothes - sweat pants or shorts and no, that’s not dress code appropriate. A plain fleece with normal khakis is fine tho.

Her kid has an issue and your response is pretty insensitive. How would anyone know if he had elastic waist khakis on if he doesn’t take off the fleece? That’s what she’s asking.

If a child has severe or moderate ASD, then I get it. But, some of it is parenting and teaching kids how to dress appropriately. My kid has SN and would prefer to wear soft things and I do as best I can but no way do I allow fleece pants/elastic to school every day. Part of it is setting up your kids for the future, which is why they have the dress code.

[Anonymous]

Can someone weigh in on what the girls typically wear in the US? Assume no jeans/leggings?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Elastic waist pants for a high schooler??? Are you kidding? The only pants a high school boy should be wearing with an elastic waist are sports clothes - sweat pants or shorts and no, that’s not dress code appropriate. A plain fleece with normal khakis is fine tho.

Her kid has an issue and your response is pretty insensitive. How would anyone know if he had elastic waist khakis on if he doesn’t take off the fleece? That’s what she’s asking.

If a child has severe or moderate ASD, then I get it. But, some of it is parenting and teaching kids how to dress appropriately. My kid has SN and would prefer to wear soft things and I do as best I can but no way do I allow fleece pants/elastic to school every day. Part of it is setting up your kids for the future, which is why they have the dress code.

He has a sensory issue. It's a real thing. Not a parenting issue and to suggest that it is, is just awful. Requires OT if the symptoms impact daily life, like it probably does for him. Cool it with the judgment and the terrible comments.

[Anonymous]

Hi-our child goes to Potomac and it is a terrific school. It is big though if you look at private school world. Not as big as a
Gonzaga but still large. I am told St Andrews is similar academic wise by smaller and a bit more nurturing. If I had a bright child with sensory stuff that might be my first choice. If it is just a thing where it is just pants stuff than no big deal. My son used to only like the pull up khakis but then got used to buttons. He didn’t have sensory issues-in his case he just didn’t feel like wearing buttons. It was a brutal two weeks making he switch but then fine. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The dress code is basically no jeans or sweat pants/exercise pants and a shirt with a collar for boys, it seems to be a sort of HS version of "business casual".

I do not think there is anything specific about type of waistband, but there may be something about a belt. So, if you can find elastic waistband pants that are not jeans or exercise pants I think you'd be fine. Boys typically seem to wear khakis.

In MS and IS students must wear a belt if they wear pants (some circumvent this in cooler weather by wearing a fleece, but it's hard in warmer months b/c shirts must be tucked in). Since there is not a uniform, the US dress code is less specific.

I was going to make the same point about the belt. If you can find elastic pants with belt loops I believe that would work just fine!