Dress Code

Standard Dress Code Requirements

We request that families partner with Maranatha to help nurture and develop a heart of honoring God in all ways, including our dress. The following are general appearance guidelines. Staff and administration reserve the right to determine if a student is within dress code standards. If a student’s dress is determined to be out of compliance, the student may be sent home and required to change.

Students must be in compliance with the Standard of Dress described below from when the school day begins to the end of the school day unless the administration approves special dress or out of dress code days.

Modesty Requirements: 

Modesty is expected at all times at any school event or function, including retreats, co/extra-curricular activities, and dress theme days, as follows:

  • All clothing must be properly sized, modest, and unrevealing in cut, fit, and texture.
  • Clothing should completely cover undergarments and necessary parts of the body at all times, including while sitting, standing, and bending over.
  • Clothing and appearance should not draw undue attention or be worn too tight.
  • No spaghetti strap tank tops, camisoles, shirts that reveal midriff or allow cleavage to show, or tops with lace, scallops, or ruffled edges.
  • No short shorts, mini-skirts, jumpers, dresses that are shorter than 4” from the knee or ill-fitting skirts or dresses.
  • No leggings, yoga pants, or pajama pants are acceptable.

Branding Wearhouse website

Please review the following sections and make note of changes for the 2025-26 school year.

General Grooming/Appearance

Tattoos:

  • Visible tattoos are not allowed for students under 18 (this includes temporary tattoos).
  • In accordance with Minnesota state law, students 18 and older may have visible tattoos that must be tasteful and reflect Maranatha’s mission, values, and honor code. Tattoos that are in violation or that show blood, weaponry, or violence must be covered.

Piercings:

  • Pierced ears are permitted for girls of any age.
  • High school girls may wear a single, modest nose stud.
  • High school boys may wear a single, solid-colored stud in each ear. No spikes, hoops, or designs are permitted.
  • No other body piercings are allowed.

Hair:

  • No unnaturally colored hair (e.g., blue, pink, purple, etc.) or extreme hairstyles.
  • Girls: no distracting hair accessories (e.g., animal ears, pom poms, colored braids, hair tinsel etc.).
  • Boys: Hair must be neatly kept; hair accessories are not acceptable.
  • Boys: Neatly trimmed facial hair is allowed.

Make-up:

  • Girls in lower school are not permitted to wear make-up at school or on field trips. This includes tinted lip balm or lip balm with glitter.
  • Boys may not wear make-up.
  • No face paint is allowed.

Nail Polish:

  • Boys may not wear nail polish.
M-Th Dress Code Tops (2025-26)

Dress Code Approved Apparel (M-Th):

All tops must be unaltered MCA-branded attire in red, navy, white, grey, or black with the MCA or Athletics logo on the front. All layers, except outdoor jackets, must be MCA-branded shirts or sweatshirts (ex. If a sweatshirt is removed during the day, the t-shirt underneath must be MCA branded).

MCA Branded Tops, T-shirts, and Sweatshirts:

  • MCA branded clothing, which can be found on the Dress Code tab of the Branding Wearhouse website.
  • Non-MCA branded club, athletic, and co-op apparel are restricted to Spirit Wear Friday 

 

 

   

 

M-Th Dress Code Bottoms (Pants, Dresses, Skirts)

Dress code Approved Styles (M-Th):

  • Pants/shorts: solid navy blue, black, khaki/tan, maroon, forest green, or grey.
  • Skirts (PK - 12): all solid colors (except neon)
  • Dresses (PK - 4th): all solid colors (except neon)
  • Solid-colored cotton, twill, chino, corduroy, cargo, or dress pants. No yoga pants, leggings, jeggings, "skinny pants," or form-fitting joggers of any style or material may be worn. 
  • Denim material in approved colors above only (no blue jean denim M-Th).
  • Solid-colored full, A-line, straight, or pleated skirt, T-shirt dress, sweater dress, polo dress are allowed in solid colors. Solid-colored biker shorts or leggings must be worn under for recess modesty. Biker shorts or leggings alone may not be worn.

 

Spirit Wear Fridays

Students are allowed (not required) to participate in Spirit Wear Fridays. If students choose not to participate, they are expected to be in M-Th Dress Code.

Acceptable tops: 

  • Any specific MCA club, activity, or athletic team tops (co-op sports included).
  • MCA top, with graphics, must be visible throughout the school day.
  • Spirit wear must not be altered from the original design (ex., neckline, sleeves cut, or homemade). 
  • Students in the Bethel Associate of Arts degree program can wear unaltered Bethel wear on Spirit Wear Fridays. 

Acceptable bottoms:

  • Blue jeans (no holes or frayed edges).
  • Solid colored sweatpants or athletics pants.
  • Shorts (must be 4" above the knee or longer).
  • No out-of-dress code pants without a visible MCA top.

 

College Wear (Grades 5-12)

The first Wednesday of each month, students in grades 5-12 are encouraged to wear spirit wear tops from their potential, committed, or current college.

Guidelines include:

  • Students in the Associate of Arts degree program may wear Bethel spirit-wear tops on this first Wednesday of each month or Spirit Wear Fridays. 
  • Seniors may wear their committed college’s spirit wear tops on the first Wednesday of each month and Spirit-wear Friday’s only.
  • Standard dress code bottoms must be worn on college wear days. 
  • Tops must be unaltered from the original purchased state.

 

Dress Code Restrictions

Tops:

  • MCA wear must be unaltered
  • NO exposed midriff or back at any time even when sitting, reaching, or bending.
  • No non-MCA branded items worn on Monday-Thursday (example co-op sports, non branded MCA club shirts). While we recognize these co-op sports as part of the student experience, they do not contain MCA logos and are confined to spirit wear Fridays.
  • NO wearing hoods during school day.
  • NO full-zip sweatshirts, including MCA branded sports team warmups.

Bottoms:

  • No pajama pants, loungewear, athletic shorts/pants/warmups, yoga pants, leggings, sweatpants, or biker shorts (unless worn under a skirt or dress).
  • No short shorts, mini-skirts, jumpers, dresses that are shorter than 4” from the knee or ill-fitting skirts or dresses.
  • No blue-jean denim on M-Th.
  • No velvet, velour, or spandex fabrics.
  • No clothing with tears, rips, holes, freys, or unsewn hemlines.

Coats:

  • No overcoats, windbreakers, or any other winter jackets are to be worn during the school day unless it is a MCA branded windbreaker.

Shoe:

  • No HEELYs with the wheel still attached.
  • No shoelace holes without laces in them.
  • No heels or platforms over 2".
  • No slippers, athletic slides, or flip-flop sandals.
  • No winter boots worn during the school day (Ugg style boots are acceptable).
  • PK - Grade 3: sneakers only for safety.
Accessories: 
  • No hats, caps, durags, wave caps, hair coverings, scarves, sunglasses, gloves, or athletic sleeves worn during the school day.
  • Ties (boys only), belts, and socks may be worn in any color and pattern (as long as not distracting or inappropriate).
  • Girls: no distracting hair accessories (e.g., animal ears, pom poms, colored braids, hair tinsel etc.).
  • No face paint.
  • Socks, clothing, and accessories must not contain expressions, sayings, or slogans that do not align with a Biblical Worldview.
Branding Guidelines for Club Apparel

Club apparel (ex. robotics, black history month, student council, NHS etc.) and special theme shirts (ex. Spring splash, homecoming, summer programming etc.) may be designed by student-run groups. All designs must be approved by the Advancement Department.

The following guidelines apply:

  • Apparel that follows MCA branding guidelines may be worn Monday-Friday.
  • Apparel that does not follow MCA branding guidelines is allowed but will be limited to Spirit wear Fridays only.

MCA Branding Guidelines for M-Th approved Dress Code

Colors: Shirt/Sweatshirt colors (must be solid colors)

Logos must be included in our standard colors and be placed on the front of the shirt (contact the marketing department for official logo files). Designs that do not include an official logo mark should include our school name on the front of the shirt.

Brand guidelines

All other club designs that would like to follow a color scheme that is not part of our branding guidelines above will be limited to Spirit Wear Fridays.

 

Out-of-Dress Code Days

When the dress code is suspended or adjusted for field trips or special school theme days, the school expects students to dress modestly and within the parameters of the aforementioned school's personal appearance guidelines. 

  • Leggings and yoga pants cannot be worn even with a tunic-length top
  • Pajama pants are not part of out-of-dress code days unless specified as a specific pajama dress-up day
  • Hats and hoods from sweatshirts are not permitted unless specifically announced by the administration. The only exception to this is on special dress theme days, a hat that is part of the themed outfit is allowed (ex. if the theme day is pink, a student may wear a pink hat)