Student Safety
Arrival and dismissal procedures are established with student safety as the top priority. General safety guidelines include:
- Cell phone use is prohibited in the school parking lot (per Illinois law)
- Remain in line at all times (never pull around a car that is stopped in front of you)
- Family pickup cards must be displayed for PS–6th grade pickup. No exceptions.
School Times
Monday–Thursday Schedule
| Grade | Program | Start Time | End Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS/PK | Half Day | 8:30 am | 11:30 am |
| PS/PK | Full Day | 8:30 am | 3:05 pm |
| K | Half Day | 8:15 am | 11:30 am |
| K | Full Day | 8:15 am | 3:05 pm |
| 1st–6th | 8:15 am | 3:05 pm | |
| 7th–12th | 8:15 am | 3:20 pm |
Late Start Friday Schedule
| Grade | Program | Start Time | End Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| PS/PK | Half Day | 9:10 am | 12:00 pm |
| PS/PK | Full Day | 9:10 am | 3:05 pm |
| K | Half Day | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm |
| K | Full Day | 9:00 am | 3:05 pm |
| 1st–6th | 9:00 am | 3:05 pm | |
| 7th–12th | 9:00 am | 3:20 pm |
Closed Building Times
The building is CLOSED to visitors/parents during drop off and pickup times:
- 8:00–8:15am (8:45–9:00am on Fridays)
- 3:00–3:35pm
Parents needing to visit the office or a teacher are welcome to come before or after these times. Staff are focusing on the safety of students during drop-off/pick-up, and parents should not approach staff unless it is an emergency.
Arrival
All students should plan to arrive at least 10 minutes before the start of school so that they can prepare for the day. Parents, please allow ample time to drive carefully and slowly through our drop-off line each morning.
Arrival Procedures
Before Care | 7:00–7:50am
Before Care is available for students in Preschool–6th Grade. Information about fees and registration is available here.
- Before Care is located in the cafeteria (lower level, main building).
- Students should be dropped off at the main door and press the call button to the right of the door.
- Upon entering the building, students will proceed directly to the cafeteria (lower level).
- Parents may choose to park (in a marked space) and walk younger students to the cafeteria.
PS & PK | Early Arrival | 7:50–8:15 (Fri: 7:50–8:50)
- Preschool and Pre-K students may be dropped off at the main building for no extra charge during the early arrival window.
- Parents should follow the BLUE path for early arrival. Remain in the vehicle while students exit. Staff are present to assist.
- Students will go directly to the cafeteria (lower level, main building).
- Students are supervised by Before Care staff and walked over to class at the appropriate time.
PS & PK | Regular Arrival | 8:15–8:30 (Fri: 8:50–9:10)
Class begins promptly at 8:30am. Parents should follow the YELLOW path for regular arrival and park in the row by the field. Students should be walked to the end of the ramp by the yellow building. Older siblings should be dropped off at the main door first.
PS & PK | Late Arrival | After 8:30am (Fri: 9:10)
Students who arrive late will need to sign in at the main office. Parents should press the buzzer and walk their student up the stairs to the office.
K–6th | Early Arrival | 7:50–8:00am (Fri: 7:50–8:45)
- Students may be dropped off during the Early Arrival window for no extra charge
- Parents should follow the BLUE path and drop off students at the main entrance
- Students will proceed downstairs to the cafeteria
K–6th | Regular Arrival | 8:00–8:15am (Fri: 8:45–9:00am)
- Parents should follow the BLUE path and drop off students at the main entance. The drop-off zone extends for the entire length of the building.
- Students should proceed straight to their classrooms.
K–6th | Late Arrival | After 8:15am (Fri: 9:00am)
- Students should be dropped off at the main entrance and press the buzzer
- Students will need to obtain a late pass from the office before going to class
7–12th | Early Arrival | 7:50–8:00am (Fri: 7:50–8:45)
- Students may wait in the main hallway or the gym.
- Parents should follow the BLUE path and drop off students at the main entrance.
7–12th | Regular Arrival | 8:00–8:15am (Fri: 8:45–9:00am)
- Parents should follow the BLUE path and drop off students at the main entance. The drop-off zone extends for the entire length of the building.
- Students should proceed straight to their classrooms.
7–12th | Late Arrival | After 8:15am (Fri: 9:00am)
- Students should be dropped off at the main entrance and press the buzzer.
- Students will need to obtain a late pass from the office before going to class.
Student Drivers | Arrive by 8am
- Student drivers must complete the Student Driver Registration Form
- Student drivers should arrive by 8am each morning
- Contact the Dean of Students if there are questions
Dismissal Guidelines
Dismissal time requires patience and cooperation, so that students can be dismissed in a safe and efficient manner.
Safety Guidelines:
- Pedestrian traffic is not allowed in the alley during elementary dismissal. Parents may NOT park and walk to pick up an elementary student.
- Pedestrian traffic is not allowed in the main parking lot until after 3:30pm. Students who drive or walk to their parent's car will not be released from the main building until 3:30pm.
- Vehicles are not allowed to back-up in the main parking lot until after 3:30pm. If you choose to park and wait for a secondary student, you will not be able to leave until after 3:30pm.
- Cell phone use is prohibited during dismissal time. In Illinois, it is illegal to use a cell phone in a school zone.
- Remain in line at all times. Please be patient and wait for the car in front of you to pull forward.
Family Pick-up Cards
Family Pick-Up Cards will be distributed at Back-to-School Night or PS/PK/K Meet the Teacher. Parents/guardians must have this card displayed on the passenger visor in order to pick up a student in Preschool through 6th grade. Parents of students in junior/senior high should also display their pickup cards, so that we can easily identify vehicles and call for your student.
Pick-up cards should be displayed on the passenger side visor of your vehicle, and they should remain visible the entire time that you are driving through the pickup line and the parking lot. We have multiple checkpoints, where staff are looking for family name cards.
What if I forget my card?
Elementary parents who forget their pick-up card will be asked to pull past the gate (on Slusser Street) and wait in their vehicle until 3:25, when the gate is closed. At that time, staff will check IDs and walk students to the parent vehicle.
We have many staff members involved in the elementary pick-up process, and none of them know every parent. Even though the person at the gate might know you, displaying the card is essential for making sure that staff load the correct children into vehicles.
Can I pick up my child in the office if I'm late?
Parents who arrive after the gate closes at 3:25 will need to wait until 3:35 and call the aftercare phone number. Elementary students will not be dismissed between 3:25–3:35pm, unless they submit the form to have 4th–6th graders picked up at the front door by a 7th–12th sibling.
Dismissal Procedure
7th–12th | 3:20–3:35pm
- Parents should display their family pick-up card on the passenger side visor, so that staff can easily identify your vehicle and call for your student.
- If you don’t have elementary students, please don’t arrive early. There is nowhere for you to park/wait.
- Please try to arrive between 3:25–3:30pm, so that the line is already moving, and your student is ready.
- Student drivers will be dismissed at 3:30pm.
PS/PK/K - Half Day | 11:30am (Fri: Noon)
- Follow BLUE path and form a pick-up line, starting at the BLUE star.
- Your family pick-up card should be displayed on your passenger side visor until you exit the parking lot.
- A staff member will walk your child to your vehicle.
- If your child needs assistance with buckling, parents should exit their vehicle (while in line) and quickly buckle their child.
- Remain in line at all times. Please wait until the car in front of you pulls forward.
When the entire school has a HALF DAY, please follow the pick-up process for Elementary (Enter from Slusser Street).
PS/PK/K Full Day & 1st–6th | 3:05–3:25 pm
- Enter Slusser Street from Center Street. The pickup line starts at the WHITE STAR.
- When the gate is opened, follow staff directions to pull forward.
- Preschool/Pre-K students will be loaded from the yellow building. They will only be walked to cars that are in FRONT of the yellow line (by the gym).
- Parents may exit their car in line and quickly buckle their child.
- K–6 students will wait INSIDE the school, in the cafeteria. They will be walked to cars as far back as the gate.
- Pickup cards must be displayed on your passenger visor until you exit the school parking lot.
- Never pull around the car in front of you. Please wait until the line moves forward.
Parents who do not have their pick-up card will be asked to pull forward past the gate and wait along the side of Slusser Street until 3:25pm. At that time, staff will check IDs and walk students to the parent vehicle.