Arrival and Dismissal
Arrival
Students arrive between 8:15 and 8:30 am. The school bell rings at 8:30. At arrival, children should walk up the stairs and enter directly into the Kindergarten classroom through the side door. Children may also enter the main entrance if they are eating breakfast in the cafeteria.
Your child will develop an independent routine for managing their belongings when they enter the classroom. They will empty their backpack, put their lunch in the lunch bin in the hallway, deliver folders to the appropriate boxes, put their water bottle in the bin by the sink, and hang up their coats. It is important for your child to do this independently (guided by me in the beginning of the year) so they practice taking responsibility for their belongings, their homework and communication from home.
Dismissal
Dismissal is a new experience in Kindergarten. At dismissal, I will escort students down the front stairs. Your child may either be picked up at the bottom of the stairs or ride the bus. Since schedules differ from day to day, it is important that I have a Dismissal Plan (see forms) filled out and returned on or before the first day of school.
If you plan to pick your child up, please be at the bottom of the stairs by 3:20 pm. Kindergartners dismiss at 3:20 (3:15 during the first week) to avoid the rush and insure each child is securely dismissed .
If your situation changes, please notify the office and request a bus pass for your child. If your child is being picked up by a friend’s parent, they require a bus pass as well. An email, note, or calling the teacher is not sufficient. Children forget to deliver notes and teachers cannot always check messages and email during the day. Please notify the office if there are changes to your child’s dismissal routine! Thank you!
Riding the Bus
Riding the bus is a new experience in Kindergarten. Although many parents hesitate to send their child on the bus, it is something that most children look forward to and enjoy. Riding the bus regularly from the start of the school year can help your child establish a routine they can anticipate, and it may avoid confusion.
At dismissal, I will escort students down the front stairs. All children are expected to walk to the first bus (where those riders will be put on the bus), proceed to the second bus as a group, and so on.
Bus schedules are available on the King-Murphy Website .