The Gloucester School Board postponed its adoption of a final fiscal year 2019 budget Tuesday night, pending final allocation figures from the state.

Division superintendent Walter Clemons said he and division budget director Heather Lucas should have their final calculations completed by Tuesday. The board voted to schedule a work session at 5:30 p.m. next Tuesday at the T.C. Walker Education Center to consider the final FY2019 budget plan. 

During the citizen comment period Tuesday night, a rising Gloucester High School freshman addressed the board with her concerns regarding the student dress code. 

Daniella Asnicar, who just completed her eighth grade year at Page Middle School, told the board the current dress code is sexist, inconsistently enforced and outdated. 

She also said students were frequently called out in public regarding their attire, and she believed that teachers and administrators should address the matter in private with students if they had a concern regarding their dress. 

In later discussion, the board members agreed with Asnicar that students should not be shamed in public and that the dress code should be applied consistently and in private discussions with students. 

Although the board indicated it would take steps to clarify how dress code violations should be addressed by teachers and administrators, it did not agree on any changes to the dress requirements outlined in the code. 

The board did agree that any changes to the code itself would have to be made with a great deal of parental input, which it said it would seek in coming months. The board members said they would consider the matter again during next Tuesday’s work session.

Board member Robin Rice added two more topics to next Tuesday’s meeting. At Rice’s suggestion, the board will also discuss student use of cell phones during the instructional day and the possibility of twice a day recess for elementary students. 

Rice said recent actions by the General Assembly will make recess count as instructional time during the next school year. 

At the board’s request, Clint Alexander, president of the Gloucester Education Association, agreed to present how teachers feel about student cell phone use in the classroom during next Tuesday’s meeting.