Students get to and from school each day in a variety of ways – by bus, by car, by bicycle, and on foot. Here are some general policies for each mode of transportation.

 

Bicycles

FCPS encourages biking to school when students can do so safely. Lane provides bike racks at a couple of locations on the grounds.. Locks are the responsibility of the student, and neither the school nor FCPS will assume responsibility for any damage to or loss of property.

Students under the age of 15 are required to wear a helmet by Fairfax County law.

Parents can decide if they’d like their child to bike to school., considering guidelines such as:

• Child’s age, maturity, and physical condition
• Safety of the route to school
• Child’s familiarity with the route to school
• Child’s understanding of and willingness to follow rules of the road

More information and guidance are available on the Safe Routes to Schools FCPS website. 

 

Buses

Free bus transportation is provided to students who live more than a one-mile walk from their assigned base school.

Transportation is also provided for some students with special needs and in certain other situations where a walking route may not be safe.

Kindergarten students must be met at the bus stop in the afternoon by a parent, guardian, caregiver, or sibling who is middle-school age or older or they will be returned to school.

FCPS offers two tools to help parents stay on top of bus transportation.

• The Bus Delay Notification System provides parents with timely notification of late bus route information.  Parents may access this tool through the web at the Bus Delay Tracker site or through the FCPS Mobile App. Morning route information will be available until noon.  Afternoon bus route information will be available from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m.  Parents will also receive email messages that announce bus delays. 
• The Here Comes The Bus app lets parents know when their child’s bus is approaching the stop through real-time bus location and text or email notification alerts. Here Comes the Bus® utilizes GPS data and an easy-to-use customizable map that works on one or multiple devices, such as a tablet or smartphone.

For more information about riding school buses and bus service, visit the FCPS Bus Service page.

 

Kiss and Ride (Cars)

Students arriving and/or departing school by car enter and exit through Door #2.

Families utilizing Kiss and Ride will be assigned a number, which will be printed on card for the car dashboard and a tag for the child’s backpack.

There is a specific traffic pattern during arrival (9:05 – 9:20 a.m.) and dismissal (4 – 4:20 p.m.). The main entrance on Beulah Street is CLOSED at these times.

Kiss and Ride Safety Reminders

• Have your child unload and load on the curbside. Stay in your car for your safety. All Kiss and Ride parents are expected to be in the Kiss and Ride line.
• Be respectful of the pacing of the line. Do not try to pass other cars in the line.
• Do not park on Kingstowne Commons Drive or in neighborhoods adjacent to the school grounds to wait for your child. Use only the official Kiss and Ride lane. Do not drop off or pick up your child anywhere else.
• Do not use your cell phone while in the Kiss and Ride area during arrival or dismissal.

Walkers

Students who live less than a mile from school who can safely walk to school without cross a major road, are designated as “Walkers.”

Walkers enter the building in the morning through Door 2, along with car riders from Kiss and Ride.

In the afternoon, walkers are dismissed through Door 5 (near the gym), to minimize pedestrian traffic at Kiss and Ride. Parents need to meet them there.