Used Catholic school uniforms get new life at Nashville public school

Published: 2008-01-03

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (CNS) -- A new dress code at Metro Nashville Public Schools has given new life to old uniforms from Christ the King Catholic School in Nashville. When Christ the King was phasing out its old uniforms, the school's parents started looking for a way to put them to good use. "Different parents looked into various possibilities, including Haiti missions and schools affected by Hurricane Katrina, but we weren't able to come up with a solution," said Chris Bontrager, co-president of the Home and School Association at Christ the King. But a case of good timing provided Christ the King with an answer. Metro's 75,000 students began the 2007-2008 school year with a new policy for "standard school attire," requiring students to wear solid-color shirts with a collar, as well as navy blue, black or khaki slacks, shorts or skirts. Leaders at Fall-Hamilton Enhanced Option School in Nashville, where nearly 90 percent of the students come from families living below the federal poverty line, were looking for a way to help families comply with the new school attire policy.

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