Uniforms & Clothing Policy

MSOE students are required to wear a uniform of Forest Green or White polo shirts with the school logo, along with khaki pants, skirts or shorts. There are two options for the polo shirts:
  1. Purchase shirt patches from MSOE, to be sewn neatly on your child’s forest green or white polo shirts.  Patches should be sewn on the upper left side over the heart. The patches cost $1.00/each, and can be purchased the first week of school. Please fill out the form on the right to let us know how many you will need.

  2. Purchase uniform shirts with stitched logos at Flynn and O’Hara, which is located at the Garden State Pavilions 2240 W. Marlton Pike, Cherry Hill, NJ. Shirts can be ordered online as well at www.flynnohara.com.
Children are free to express individual tastes in their choice of socks and accessories that fit with the Montessori philosophy of no logos, distracting images or characters.
​Click HERE to view the MSOE page for Flynn & O'Hara. If you choose to purchase plain white or forest green polo shirts, our recommended brands are as follows:

Lands' End - Evergreen or White Mesh Polo Shirt
French Toast - Kelly Green or White Pique Polo Shirt
Old Navy - Plant Life or White Pique Uniform Polos

    Order Logo Patches

Uniform sweaters, fleece sweatshirts, pants, shorts, skorts and jumpers can be purchased from these stores as well in the appropriate MSOE colors. Sweaters and sweatshirts must have the MSOE patch as well. Toddler and primary student uniforms should also follow the special requirements listed below for children ages 18 mos. through age 5.

​Please keep in mind that clothing requirements change with the weather and seasons.  This means that children should be sent to school with appropriate layers both for working indoors and playing outdoors throughout any given day with our discretion.

On Fridays, all students can choose to wear a “gym uniform.” This can consist of solid color or patterned t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants or shorts. Small logos on clothing are acceptable too.  We ask that you stay away from professional sport team logos.
Shoes 
Children are required to keep one pair of shoes at school to serve as “inside shoes.” This helps to minimize dirt on the classroom floors, where our students often choose to do their work. Inside shoes should be closed toed, and have non-marking rubber soles. Please avoid slip-ons, or crocs, as children can easily trip. It is recommended that parents check their child’s inside shoes either right before or right after the winter break, to make sure they still fit. Also, please avoid shoes that light-up. 
Outside shoes should always be season appropriate and have non-marking rubber soles. 

General Recommendations for what to avoid: 
  • double laces, long shoe laces, cord or leather shoe laces, which are very hard to keep, tied.
  • cowboy boots, jellies, flip-flops, clogs, girls’ slip-on dress shoes, dress sandals, light up shoes, accessories that make noise, shoes with more than one inch heels, or any other shoe that hinders casual athletic activity.
  • buckles, belts, or suspenders children cannot handle by themselves.
  • dangling jewelry that distracts, or headbands that won’t stay on.
  • jumpsuits and overalls (for Primary and Toddler)
  • clothes so expensive you’ll get upset if something happens to them. 
  • straps or neck openings that fall off the shoulders. 
  • trendy fashions that are too short or tight.
  • clothing that has bare midriffs. 
Primary and Toddler Student Clothing 
For Primary and Toddler students, it is best if their clothing meets three characteristics: easy to work with, provides comfort, and follows the school’s philosophy. From very early on, part of the children’s work is to dress and undress themselves. In order to help them be successful and allow them to meet this need, clothes should be provided for the child which are manageable, and offer comfort for maximum large and small muscle development. 

Primary children are focused on the active pursuit of functional independence and a mastery of movement. They observe the activities of the adults and children around them and naturally imitate them. When primary children notice that others manage their own clothing, they strive to do the same for themselves. There is another important reason manageable and comfortable clothing should be chosen. As they see adults and children independently use the rest room, they become interested in doing that too. 
Our recommendation for Primary and Toddler Student Clothing includes: 
  • Elastic waistbands with no snaps or zippers: Shorts, pants, and skirts need to have elastic waistbands loose enough for fingers to fit in easily. Tight waist bands can be frustrating to young children and in some cases bring them to tears of frustration. Overalls, pants that snap at the bottom, or pants with snap buttons at the waist do not allow the children to be successful at this stage.
Recommended Brands & Styles
  • Pant legs that can be pulled on easily, won’t hinder movement, and won’t get stepped on.
  • Plain slipover polo shirts with necks that pass easily over the head and short or long sleeves, according to the weather.  If your child has to force their head through, please refrain from sending them in with that shirt.
  • Comfortable, soft-soled, roomy shoes: For developmental purposes, children need soft-soled shoes that allow them to plant the soles of their feet firmly on the floor, shoes with soles through which they can feel the independent pressure of the parts of their feet—ball, toes, heel—against the floor. Stability and grace, as well as the development of the foot, depend on this.
  • Shoes and Coats with Easy Closures: Children do best when they are not fussing with challenging laces, or complicated closures. We recommend wide Velcro closures for shoes and large plastic zippers or large button or snaps for sweaters or coats. These all compliment lessons that children receive in the classroom and offer independent follow-up work to what they are practicing in class. Also, please avoid shoes that light up or make any sound. 
Recommended Shoe Style
Leather Gymnastic Shoes
  • Necks that stay on the shoulder: Necks of shirts that fall off the shoulder tend to annoy and distract children.  This of course causes them to lose focus and break concentration. 
Extra Clothing 
From time to time, Primary and Toddler children may require a change of clothing during school hours. For this reason, we ask parents to send in a pair of pants or shorts depending on the season, a shirt, socks and underwear for their Primary or Toddler student on the first day of class. Please be mindful to have the extra set of clothes be the same as what they are already wearing.  Some children will get their shirt or pants wet on purpose so they can wear their second set of clothing. This extra clothing will be kept in the child’s cubby near their shoes, which they can access on their own if they need. As with the inside shoes, it is recommended that parents check the extra clothing either right before or right after the winter break, to make sure they still fit your child.  Additionally, we will send a note home if another pair of some clothing is needed.