Chamblee’s administration has begun phasing in the new dress code this semester in preparation for the mandatory code next year.

Participation is optional, but administrators will be monitoring the progress of the program and encouraging students to take part in it.

The administration requests that all students “dress for success” on Fridays during January.

To comply, students should wear a solid-colored shirt and pants. The clothing may not have any writing on it unless it is a school shirt and baggy pants are prohibited.

February will likely see the addition of Thursdays as dress code days, according to Principal Cheryl Finke.

Principal Finke said this semester is “an introduction to the dress code,” adding that students will not be punished for non-compliance, but administrators will inform students if their attire is inappropriate by next year’s standards.

Finke went on to say the dress code is “not going to be all that bad.”

She then pointed out one student who, except for the brand name on the front of his shirt, was already meeting the requirements. “Our dress code is basically what you all wear on Friday anyway,” Finke said.

Other DeKalb County Schools have offered incentives to students who abide by the dress code. These schools, such as Stephenson Middle and Henderson Middle, reported a high participation rate last semester.

Finke mentioned no such program for Chamblee.

Finke hopes the relatively lenient system this semester will acclimate students to the stricter dress code, making it easier to implement at the start of the 2003-2004 school year.