General Morning Arrival Procedures

Our school hours are 9:20 a.m. to 4:05 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The best time to arrive each day is between 9 a.m. and 9:10 a.m. This gives them time to put away their things and get ready for the day.

Children who arrive before 9:10 will go to either the Gym (grades 1 - 6) or Cafeteria (kindergarten) until 9:10. After 9:10, students will walk directly to their classrooms. 

Please do not drop off your children too early!  Staff members are busy preparing for the arrival of students in the morning and do not report to their duty stations until 8:55 a.m. There is no supervision available before that time. Therefore, we appreciate you making the effort to arrive at school no earlier than 8:55.

Breakfast is served in the Cafeteria from 9 until 9:15 a.m. Children may eat breakfast if they arrive in the Cafeteria between 9 and 9:10 a.m.

A child who arrives in the classroom after 9:20 a.m. is considered TARDY. If you know ahead of time that your child is going to be late or absent for the entire day, please call the school attendance line (703-924-7777) before 9:20 a.m. If the school does not receive a call from the parent, the absence/tardy will automatically be considered unexcused. See Absences & Attendance for more information.

 

General  Dismissal Procedures

At the end of the school day, students will be dismissed from their classrooms on the basis of how they go home (SACC, Kiss and Ride, walker, etc.) 

Walkers will exit through Door #5 (near the gym) and parents are asked to wait for them there. 

Kiss and Ride students will exit through Door #2 and will wait along the Kiss and Ride lane until their parents arrive at the front of the line. Please see the Kiss and Ride section for more information.

Buses depart from the parking lot on the south side of the school. Please do not park in this lot during the school day.

 

Information about Specific Types of Transportation

 

Walkers:

• Students who live within a mile of the school are considered "Walkers." No bus transportation will be provided, unless students would need to cross a major road to get to school.
• Walkers should enter the building in the morning through Door #2 (near Kiss and Ride and the small playground).
• Walkers will exit the building at dismissal through Door #5 (near the Gym). Parents/caregivers should meet their students at that exit.

 

Bicycle Riders:

We appreciate students wanting to ride their bikes to school.

• Students in grades 4 through 6 are welcome to ride to school.

• Bikes can be locked up on the bike rack located near the cafeteria. Lane/FCPS does not assume responsibility for any damage or loss of property.
• Helmets must be warn at all times when riding on school grounds.

For more tips on riding safely to and from school, visit the Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) bicyclist-safety website and the FCPS Safety & Security/SRTS page.

 

Bus Riders: 

• Students who live more than a mile away from the school or have to cross a major road to get to school are provided with free bus transportation.
• Bus stops and routes are determined by the FCPS Office of Transportation Services, not by the school.
• Bus-route information is usually made available to parents the week before school begins each fall. Due to security and  student-privacy concerns, we do not post the bus routes on our public website or provide them by email. Paper copies will be mailed to all families before school begins and are available in the Front Office.
• There are a limited number of seats on each bus, and students must ride the bus to which they are assigned. If a student decides to go home after school with a student who rides a different bus, alternate arrangements must be made.

 

 

Kiss and Ride Students:

 

• Students who get to school by car must be dropped off ONLY in the designated Kiss and Ride lane on the north side of the building. Drivers must obey all posted traffic directions and follow the directions of staff members. 

• Kiss and Ride will close at 9:15 a.m. to ensure all students have time to get to their classrooms by 9:20. If you arrive at school after Kiss and Ride closes, you MUST park your car, bring your child into the Front Office, and sign him/her into the tardy logbook. Never leave your child alone and unattended in the Kiss and Ride lane. It is not safe!

• Kiss and Ride students will exit the building through Door #2 (near the Kiss and Ride lane) at dismissal and will wait for their parent/guardian to pick them up along the curb. 

• Please do not wait for your child anywhere else other than the designated Kiss and Ride lane. Parents should not park in any of the parking lots and ask their child(ren) to walk to meet them in order to avoid the Kiss and Ride line. Nor should parents park and wait in nearby neighborhoods. Picking up a child anywhere other than the designated lane is not safe!
   

Please see our Kiss and Ride page for more detailed information about Kiss and Ride procedures and safety.