Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival Procedures
Bus Transportation
Students are due to arrive at school 7:15 AM.
Car Rider Drop Off
During bus drop off, parents/guardians who choose to transport their student(s) to school can drop off between 7:15 AM - 7:45 AM by pulling up to the right side of the building (looking at the building), complete a 3-point turn, assist their student in exiting the vehicle, and safely hand their student to one of our staff; then exit when the driving path is clear whereby there are no parked school buses. We will receive students no earlier than 7:15 am.
At No Time during unloading and loading should cars/trucks enter the bus lanes for dropping off or picking up students, nor release students on their own.
AM Bus/Drop-Off Duty
All Staff members begin receiving students at 7:15 AM. Staff members are not available to receive students prior to 7:15 AM.
Tardiness
Students who arrive after 8:10 AM are considered tardy. All students arriving after 8:10 AM must be brought to the Main Office and signed in in the “Student Late Arrival Log”.
Dismissal Procedures
Early Departure
Please note that dismissal begins at 1:40 PM, parents who provide transportation going home will be allowed to pick up their child beginning at 1:10 PM. Students who are picked up prior to 1:00 PM should have a daily written note indicating the time and lawful reason for the early departure. In the event that a letter is not provided in the student's book bag, the parent or guardian should call the school's main number at (301) 390-0200 to indicate the time that the student will be picked up from school. Upon arriving at school, the parent(s) or guardian(s) must provide a photo ID. Main Office staff will contact the student's classroom to have a member of the classroom team safely escort the student to the Main Office in order to be signed out using the Early Dismissal/Dismissal Log located in the main office. Please note that if the parent(s) or guardians are not the person(s) picking up a student, the designated individual(s) MUST be listed on the emergency contact forms and also provide photo identification, or the individual(s) (for safety reasons and district protocol) WILL NOT be permitted to pick-up your student.
Pick-Up
Parent(s) or guardian(s) who pick-up their students from school at dismissal must park on the right side of the building (same as the morning location). Parent(s) and guardian(s) will have to sign their students out using the 'regular’ Early Dismissal/Dismissal Log. This information will be communicated to our transportation department. *Parents/Guardians should arrive no later than 1:45 PM to pick up their children as school staff are to be available to participate in required staff meetings.
Dismissal
Dismissal begins promptly at 1:30 with the PM Announcements and then calling of buses at 1:40. The order of buses (by #) will be logged in a Google Document shared with all staff. PM Bus Duty: School staff will safely escort all students to their designated buses. According to Prince George's County Public Schools' Administrative Procedure (3541.1) safe transportation and dismissal of students from buses are essential to support the educational objectives of PGCPS. When the driver arrives at a bus stop, an adult is to be present. If an adult is not there to receive the student on a repeated basis, there shall be a risk for suspension and/or termination of transportation services and/or referral to child protective services. When a situation appears to be unsafe, the bus driver will follow the instructions from an authorized representative of the Department of Transportation. Bus drivers can not change their routes or the time they are scheduled to drop a child off at their scheduled afternoon location. It is crucial that someone is present 10 minutes prior to receiving your student at the requested destination. If the parent(s) or guardian(s), neighbor, adult sibling or other adult caretaker is not available and the school bus has to return your student to school, then a referral is made to the Principal or School Transportation Coordinator (Ms. Michelle Shavers-Burnside). If a student is returned to school 3 times or more during a marking period, semester, or year, an IEP meeting is needed. The Bus Coordinator will also schedule meetings for students who may need a harness to safely ride the bus to and from school. Children that are picked up by an after-care service will be dismissed once the provider has arrived. Late pick-ups will be supervised in the main office by a staff member familiar with the student. The teacher will contact the parent to inform them that their child is waiting in the main office and must come into the building to sign them out once they arrive.
Students in After-Care Programs
Children that are picked up by an after-care service will be dismissed once the provider has arrived.
Late Pick-Ups
Late pick-ups will be supervised in the main office by a staff member familiar with the student. The teacher/secretary will contact the parent to inform them that their child is waiting in the main office and must come into the building to sign them out once they arrive.