ISO Feedback on School Uniform Fundraiser Programs

So naturally, I'm curious to hear feedback from schools that participate in school uniform fundraising programs.  Do parents take the time to enter the school code in their online orders, and if so what kind of royalty does the school receive for their efforts?

If your school has promoted a school uniform fundraising program in the past year and are involved with the administration of the program, I'd like to hear from you.  Please complete the survey below.  If you participate in programs with several brands, please feel free to complete this brief 4 question survey multiple times.

If you weren't involved with the program but you know who was, please forward this link to them so they can complete the survey.

Based on the feedback collected, I'll plan to share the feedback in a future post.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Myself Belts, a great addition to the School Uniform Wardrobe

A sample product was gifted from MyselfBelts for this post. Opinions expressed here are my own.

I recently posted the question, "Should belts be required for Kindee Kids?" They are required as part of the uniform dress code at my daughter's school, but I have found that they haven't enforced it, at least with her classmates of Kindergartners. Because traditional belts can be a challenge for the younger kids, I was curious if other schools include belts as part of the required dress code and if so, at what age they begin enforcement.

Then I connected with Myself Belts on Twitter and learned about their product. It's a company founded by two sisters Talia Bahr Goldfarb and Danielle Bahr Eason, after Talia's son had a problem with his pants staying up during potty training. Together they invented Myself Belts TM, the belt kids can fasten themselves. As I read about the company, I couldn't help being impressed with how they have made a successful business and product with such a simple idea. Other Moms have given it rave reviews online, and the product has won several awards.

The belts come in a variety of fun colors and patterns. Most are fabric, and a few are leather. The school uniform belts are offered in the following colors and styles: Solid Navy Canvas, Solid Brown Canvas, Khaki Corduroy Distressed Brown Leather, Brown Leather, and Black Leather. They retail for between 16.95 and 18.95.

Skool-Kit.com, a UK based classifieds for school uniforms

It's like Craigslist for school uniforms, sporting goods, instruments and and other items kids use. Skool-kit.com is a site based in the UK that helps match buyers and sellers.

Sellers can place an ad for £1 which includes option to upload an image of the item. Ads are listed for 30-180 days. To have your item "featured" is an extra 50p. The site suggests a pricing model based on the original cost and the current condition of the item. It also offers suggestions to make your listing descriptive. Buyers and sellers are encouraged to work out payment options and shipping costs amongst themselves. Sellers that multiple items to list can purchase a membership for 6 months for £10 to list up to 15 items.

Items for sale are organized into the following categories:

• School Uniforms 
• Musical Instruments 
• Sports Equipment 
• Sports Clothing/Footwear 
• Books 
• Dressing Up Items 
• Out of School Clubs (Scouts, Brownies) 
• Other Items (Holiday /Ski Accessories) 

Check out the site at skool-kit.com or follow them on Twitter at @skoolkit

Lands' End School Uniforms in the Retail Round Up Series

Lands' End was founded in 1963 as a sailboat company which expanded into clothing and home furnishings. Traditionally they were primarily a mail catalog company, later expanding to include an online business with a few retail locations in the Midwest. The brand built its reputation on its guarantee policy, which allows for returns or exchanges at any time and for any reason. In 2009, the company was bought by Sears which now offers the Lands' End clothing line in many of its retail locations in the US.

The brand proclaims to be "America's premier school uniform provider". Lands' End school uniform catalog is one of the most expansive collections available. As I read about schools researching and developing a uniform dress code, I'll often see references that the school worked with Lands' End to develop their policies. They even have a administrators portal website dedicated to supporting school administrators with their uniform programs. The site states that they are supporting over 4500 schools and outfitting over 1.5 million students.

Why Non Uniform Days as Fundraisers are a Bad Idea

School Boards implement uniform dress codes for a variety of reasons. One of the most commonly cited reasons is nicely stated by the Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five (SC) to "to reduce stereotyping based on apparel and build unity across social and economic lines". So I applaud Susan Gleaton, a trustee in that school district, for questioning why principles are allowed to declare dress down days that allow students to pay cash to be exempt from the school's uniform policy for the day as reported in the Times and Democrat. Via Twitter, I see evidence of these types of fundraisers used at schools in the US and the UK. I encourage other school boards to examine if this type of activity is occurring in their schools and decide if it is a practice consistent with the goals they set forth when implementing uniform dress code for the students.

These "fundraisers" teach kids that you can buy your way out of following the rules. It promotes a perceived benefit for those with the ability to pay. Aren't we trying to teach kids that socioeconomic status is irrelevant to ones ability to succeed in school, both academically and socially. If your child attends a school with a uniform policy or uniform dress code, you are likely well aware of the both sides of the uniform debate.

So instead of recounting that debate, lets take a look at what students themselves are saying about the specific issue of non uniform days:

Cherokee School Uniform Scooter, a Review

I purchased the Cherokee girls school uniform scooter for my daughter early last fall. I liked it because it was longer than most other uniform scooters hitting at the knee. As a scooter, it has knit shorts built in underneath. The front has pleats and pockets.  My daughter likes it because it is easy to get on and off due to the elastic waist. She calls it her pull-up skirt.

It has held up well. It faded a bit after the initial washing, but has held its color since. It looks fine straight out of the dryer, but could benefit from a quick touch of the iron for a crisp look. It is available through Target in navy and khaki in sizes XS - XL. It retails for $14. It is currently available on clearance for $7.48.

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Related Posts:

• Izod Flat Front Uniform Skirt, a review
• Lands End Girls Uniform Pleated Twill Skort, a review

School Uniform Shop at Kmart in the Retail Round Up Series

Kmart is an American chain of discount stores founded in the US in 1962. Currently it is the third largest chain in the world with over 1300 stores in 49 states and US territories.  It features School Uniforms as one of it's featured shops categorized in Clothing making it easy to find through it is website navigation. They carry French Toast brand items, Dickies brand items, and TKS, or The Kids Source, brand items. For purposes of this review, I'll highlight only the Dickies and TKS brand, as French Toast items will be covered in their own post.

When shopping online, Kmart offers free shipping to a local store or free shipping on orders over $59. They have a rewards program called Shop Your Way, which includes benefits such as free standard shipping.  You can enroll free for a 90 day trial, then it is a subscription fee based program afterwards.

Returns with a receipt are accepted for 90 days.  From reading the return policy, it was unclear to me if you can return items purchased online to a local store.  You can create a return shipping label online to make a return via mail. Shipping charges will be deducted from the credit card used in the original purchase.