Arrival

Students should arrive no earlier than 8:45 a.m., as there is no one responsible for supervision, and no later than 9:10 a.m. 

Students arriving after 9:10 are considered tardy/late. Classes begin at 9:15 am. Please do not park or drive in the bus lot at any time during the school day. 

If you arrive at school after 9:10, please park your car and walk into the front office to sign in your child. Car riders may be dropped off in the car rider lane between 8:45–9:10 am.  Car riders arriving after this time will asked to park in our car parking lot and sign in your child.  We encourage all car riders to be dropped off by 9:10 am at the latest to allow time to transition to class and get settled in and ready to learn for the day.  After 9:10 am, there will be no car rider staff on duty.

The following procedures were developed with your child’s safety in mind as our first priority.  

Bus Riders will be met by staff members each morning and afternoon. Students  board their buses at the Bus Loop. If a student misses the bus, please have a back-up plan for transportation and list this person as an Emergency Contact.  If you have questions about delays or cancelations of buses please visit the following website:  https://apps.fcps.org/transportation/status 

Walkers will enter and exit the school via the front doors. Walkers who are not waiting on a parent or older sibling will be dismissed from the front doors of the school and will need to exit campus at dismissal.   

Car riders are dismissed from Door 1. Car rider runs in two phases (A and B).  Phase A car riders can be picked up between 3:35-3:55 pm and phase B car riders from 3:55-4:15 pm.  Adhering to this schedule assists in getting phase A car riders as efficiently as possible.  All car rider students will remain with staff until their family arrive for pick up. Any students who are not picked up by 4:15 pm will be taken to the front office for pick up.  

NOTE:  If you drive your child to or from school, but you park off-campus, your child is considered a “walker.”

Pets are not permitted at arrival or dismissal unless in your vehicle. Service animals are exempt.

Dismissal

Dismissal begins at 3:35 pm.  No child will be dismissed directly from the classroom, which also applies if you are volunteering.  In addition, no student will be allowed to leave school with anyone other than the parent or legal guardian unless written permission is presented to the school office. Verbal permission may be granted by administration or designees.

Should a parent wish to pick up a child after school instead of the child using their normal means of transportation, a note must be sent to the school.  You may call the Main Office and verbally advise the office staff to notify your child of a change in transportation. These requests need to be made before 2:40 p.m.  Otherwise, the child will be going home according to their normal mode of transportation. Please remember to notify your daycare provider if your child is going home a different way.

FCPS policy states that children must ride the bus to which they have been assigned, except in cases of emergency with Administration’s permission.  If a child is riding in a car, or walking to the home of another student, a note must be presented by parents of both families.  Your cooperation with this procedure is greatly appreciated and enables us to ensure that children arrive home safely. 

We encourage you to try to schedule your child’s appointments around the school hours and day off. If you must pick up your child prior to dismissal, the secretary will call your child to the office upon your arrival.  Please arrive early enough to accommodate this process.

Bus Conduct

The bus should be viewed as “BES on Wheels.”  The same rules apply on the bus as in school.  Riding the bus is a privilege which may be temporarily denied or permanently revoked if the behavior of your child jeopardizes the safety of others on the bus.  Please review proper bus conduct with your child.  Even if your child does not access bus transportation on a regular basis, we do utilize busses for field trips.  At the beginning of the year, parents will need to complete and return the “Safe Transport Letter” to school.  The letter broadens the concept of safe passage to school for all students/parents.  It provides tips and useful information not only to our bus riders but also to those students who walk to school.  It also explains the consequences for poor student behavior on the bus, and includes a signature section for parents of students who ride the bus.

Crossing Guards

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Department assigns crossing guards, and families are encouraged to cross the streets only where guards are on duty.