TENAFLY CHABAD SCHOOL
STUDENT LIFE
Dress Code
At Tenafly Chabad Academy, we take great pride in being a warm and inclusive Jewish community school where every family, regardless of background or level of observance, feels welcome and valued.
Our dress code is meant to reflect the atmosphere we strive to create: one of dignity, unity, and purpose. As a school rooted in Jewish values and guided by the Chabad philosophy of love and inclusion, our goal is to help students feel confident, comfortable, and proud of their Jewish identity.
The purpose of our dress code is to:
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Elevate the school environment
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Support student comfort, safety, and readiness for learning
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Foster a school culture grounded in respect, modesty (tzniut), and self-worth
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Promote a focused academic environment
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Encourage a meaningful connection to Torah values and Jewish pride
We kindly ask all students and families to help us maintain a consistent and respectful school environment by following the guidelines below. These expectations are in place not to judge or exclude, but to elevate the atmosphere and help every student thrive.
Lower School (grades 1-4):
Tops (Shirts, Sweaters, Sweatshirts):
All solid colors and patterns are permitted
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Must be a solid shade of blue or white
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No writing or logos larger than the size of a nickel
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No sleeveless or cap sleeve tops
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Sweatshirts must also be a solid blue or white, with no writing or logos (except official TCA sweatshirts or if logo is smaller than a nickel)
Boys:
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Shirts must have collars
Girls:
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Tops should not have wide or scoop necklines that expose any part of the shoulder (even with a camisole underneath)
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Please avoid low-cut or transparent tops
Bottoms:
Boys
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Must wear long pants only
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Colors: Solid navy blue, black or khaki beige
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No denim, cargo pants, sweatpants, zip-offs, or snap-off pants (please see links below)
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Pants must be free of logos, stripes, or any decorative designs
Girls
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May wear solid navy blue, khaki beige, or black skirts
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Skirts should approach the knee
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Denim or denim-like material is not part of the dress code
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Leggings, tights, or knee socks must be a solid blue, black, or white
Accessories:
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Boys must wear kippot with clips at all times while in the building
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No hats, hoods, or bandanas may be worn in the classroom
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Hair color must remain natural and traditional (no bright or unnatural colors)
Footwear:
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No open-toe or open-back shoes, including Crocs, slides, flip-flops, slippers, or sandals
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No wheelie sneakers or any footwear with built-in wheel
Middle School (Grades 5-8):
Tops (Shirts, Sweaters, Sweatshirts):
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Any solid color
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No writing or logos (unless smaller than the size of a nickel)
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No sleeveless or cap sleeve tops
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Sweatshirts worn indoors must be free of writing or logos, except for official TCA sweatshirts, or if smaller than a nickel (Bar/Bat Mitzvah sweatshirts not permitted
Boys:
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Shirts must have collars
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Tzitzit is strongly encouraged
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A kippah with clips must be worn at all times in the school building
Girls:
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No scoop neck or wide neck tops that expose the shoulder (even with a camisole underneath)
-
Tops should not be low-cut, cropped or transparent
Bottoms:
Boys:
-
Long pants only
-
Colors: Solid navy blue, black or khaki beige
-
No denim, cargo pants, sweatpants, zip-offs, or snap-off pants (please see links below)
-
Pants must be free of logos, stripes, or any decorative designs
Girls:
-
May wear solid navy blue, khaki beige, or black skirts - see links below
-
Skirts must approach the knee
-
No Denim or denim-like material
-
Leggings, tights, or knee socks must be a solid color with no stripes, logos, or patterns
Footwear:
-
No open-toe or open-back shoes, including Crocs, slides, flip-flops, slippers, or sandals
-
No sneakers with wheels (e.g. wheelies)
Accessories:
-
No hats, hoods, or bandanas may be worn in the classroom
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Hair color must be a natural shade (no bright or unnatural colors)
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Boys must wear kippot with clips at all times while in the building
Lower School (grades 1-4):
Tops and shirts:
All solid colors and patterns are permitted
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Shirts must have sleeves
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T-Shirts, Graphic Tees, and any shirts with writing, characters or graphics are discouraged
Bottoms:
Boys
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Long slacks or Chino-style pants
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Any solid navy blue, black, or khaki beige
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Dark color denim is acceptable
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Sweatpants, track pants, or zip-off pants are not permitted
Girls
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Skirts must reach the knee.
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Skirts of all colors are allowed.
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Leggings, tights, or knee socks may be worn under the skirts
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Please avoid tunics and very short skirts
Accessories:
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All boys must wear a kippah throughout the day
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Hats, hoods, or bandanas may not be worn in the classroom
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Tzitzit daily is encouraged, particularly for tefillah in the morning
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Smart watches are not permitted
Footwear:
Please note that the footwear guidelines have been developed with children’s safety as the primary goal.
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Only closed flat shoes may be worn (heels or backless shoes are not permitted)
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Sneakers must be worn on Gym days.
News & Announcements
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Middle School (Grades 5-8):
Our dress code is designed to instill in our students a sense of belonging, comradery and dignity. It aims to enhance their intellectual and emotional growth. Although children learn better when they are dressed comfortably, a dress code aids in putting children in a mindset of learning.
Tops:
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Solid colors and patterns are permitted. Small inconspicuous logos are permissible. Graphics or words are not permitted.
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Short sleeves should extend at least halfway between the shoulder and elbow. Cap sleeves and sleeveless tops are not permitted.
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Regular length shirt. Cropped tops are not permitted.
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No scoop neck or other wide neck shirts that expose the shoulder (even with a camisole or tank top).
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Please note: Hoodie sweatshirts are permitted as long as the hood stays off the head.
Neckline and Transparency – we ask parents to guide their children to use appropriate judgment and not wear low-cut necklines or transparent tops.
Girls – miscellaneous:
Bottoms:
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Makeup should be subtle and age-appropriate. Parents, please use your discretion.
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Girls who come to school with dark eye liners or lipstick will be asked to remove them.
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Girls with long nails will be asked to trim them as they are not safe for school.
Boys:
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Long slacks or Chino-style pants
-
Any solid navy blue, black, or khaki beige
-
Dark denim is acceptable.
-
Sweatpants, track pants, ripped pants, or zip-off pants are not permitted
Girls:
-
Skirts must reach the knees
-
Leggings, tights, or knee socks must be any solid color. Fishnet tights are not permitted.
Footwear:
Please note that the footwear guidelines have been developed with children’s safety as the primary goal.
-
Only closed flat shoes may be worn (heels or backless shoes are not permitted)
-
Sneakers must be worn on Gym days. Please note that Pass/Fail grades for the gym will depend on footwear as well as behavior and participation.
Accessories:
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Hats, hoods, or bandanas are NOT permitted.
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Dyed or shaved hair is not permitted.
In the event of a child arriving at school not following the guidelines above, the following protocol will be followed:
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First reminder – The child will be asked to change into clothes provided by the school.
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Second reminder – The child will be asked to wait in the office for the parents to either drop off a change of clothing or pick up the child from the school office.
PLEASE LABEL YOUR CHILD’S NAME CLEARLY ON ALL ITEMS SENT TO SCHOOL.
Bar and Bat Mitzvah Celebration Guidelines
A Bar or Bat Mitzvah is a special and meaningful milestone in a child’s life. We are delighted to be sharing this experience with you and your family. To ensure that every child and family maximize their enjoyment during this exciting time, we have developed guidelines to help us achieve our mutually desired goals:
1. Inclusivity
We believe in an inclusive environment where each child feels that he/she is a valued member of the school. Additionally, a joyous occasion such a bar/bat mitzvah should be shared with everyone. When planning your bar/bat Mitzvah, it is our responsibility to ensure that this standard is upheld for the sake of our students and school spirit. To that end, you may choose one of two options for the invitation list:
A. invite the entire grade; or
B. invite the entire gender of the celebrating student
2. Timely Response
Please make sure that your child responds in a timely fashion upon receipt of an invitation. If your child cannot attend, please inform the bar or bat mitzvah’s parents as soon as possible to enable them to plan accordingly.
3. Kashrut, Dress, and Entertainment Standards
All food should be Glatt Kosher, under supervision of a nationally recognized hashgacha, and the venue, entertainment and dress should be appropriate to the meaning and spirit of the occasion.
4. Adult Supervision
In order to maintain appropriate decorum at your simcha, you should have sufficient adult supervision.
5. Derech Eretz
Remind your child before attending every simcha that he/she is expected to behave with appropriate derech eretz at all times during the celebration. We expect every student to act with the utmost respect and to create a Kiddush Ha’Shem wherever he/she goes. This includes dancing throughout the event, no cell-phone use, and proper attention during speeches and/or mantages. Act the way you would like everyone else to behave at your own bar/bat mitzvah!
6. Congratulate and Thank the Hosts
Remind your child that, upon arrival at the celebration, he/she should find the bar/bat mitzvah celebrant and his/her parents and thank them for being invited and wish them a mazal tov.
7. Attire
In continuation of the values we teach in school, we ask that all girls follow our school Tzniut guidelines. Girls are asked to wear a skirt or a dress with an appropriate top that reaches the skirt (as opposed to a cropped top). Boys are asked to come with their kippot.
Celebrating the Bar/Bat Mitzvah in School
If you would like to celebrate the bar/bat mitzvah in school, the family can sponsor a breakfast for the grade or the middle school. If you wish to sponsor this breakfast (and it is optional), please contact Sossie Shain (sshain@lpsnj.org).
We look forward to sharing many smachot together with the entire TCA family.
Mazal Tov!
Orite Rubenstein, Head of School
Meital Teitelman, Middle School Principal
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Contact Info
Address:
11 Harold Street Tenafly, NJ 07670
Email:
Preschool: Preschool@lpsnj.org,
Elementary School: tca@lpsnj.org
Phone:
+1(201)871-1152
Programs
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Preschool
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Lower School
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Middle School
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The Springboard School
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Hebrew School
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Camp Gan Israel