Families: PLEASE read this in its entirety.  This procedure goes into effect on THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.  This plan was developed in conjunction with the Plainfield Police Department and the Village Traffic Coordinator.  Although it may seem a bit “unusual”, it works VERY WELL!  PLEASE make yourself familiar with the procedure and keep this form in a safe place for future reference.  Occasionally, you may need to pick your child up rather than having them take the bus and you will need to know the procedure.

Students can enter the building beginning at 8:40 AM. Students are NOT to arrive at school prior to this time, since there is NO supervision until 8:40.  There will be staff assigned to bus/car duty all year.  In addition, adults can NOT walk the students to their classes. Only students and staff are allowed into the academic wings, for security reasons.

Car Riders and Adult Escorted Walkers:
All walkers and car riders MUST enter the front door (off of Getson Drive). Walking students will NOT be allowed to enter any other door. All students at Central School are provided bus transportation at this time.  In order to alleviate possible traffic congestion, PLEASE allow your child to ride the bus.  However, if you must drive your child to school, all car riders are to enter on the north side of the building, off Getson Drive. Cars will NOT be allowed to enter off of Renwick, as that entrance is for bus traffic only.  When drivers enter the school entrance off of Getson, the traffic flow pattern is to turn right to enter the drop off/parking area in front of the school.  An area is set up directly in front of the main doors for student drop off. Cars are to pull up right next to the curb. THIS IS A MOVING LINE ONLY. All cars will be asked to enter the lane and pull all the way forward before allowing students to leave the vehicles on the CURBSIDE ONLY. Parents MUST remain in the cars at all times. If a student needs help with a car door, staff is present to help them.  Once the cars in the line are emptied, they will pull forward and exit the area and a new line of cars will enter the lane.  No vehicles will be permitted to leave the lane by passing the cars in front of them.  If you must help your child into the building, you must find a parking spot in one of the side parking lots. However, adults will not be permitted to walk the child all the way to their class, unless they sign in at the office.  Our halls get very congested with just the children.  It is best if you allow your child to walk independently, or with assistance by a staff member.

Bus Riders:
All busses will enter the Central property via Renwick Road and Howard Street.  Busses will pull up to the back of the building and the students will unload and enter both back doors.  Staff will be on hand to direct students as needed.  Afternoon Kindergarten busses will unload in the front of the building. (Kindergarten teachers will be outside to meet the busses.)

Morning Kindergarten students follow the same arrival procedures as the students in grades 1-5.  Afternoon Kindergarten students will be brought to the front of the building by the bus drivers.  (Please read “Arrival for PM Kindergarten Students” for more information.)

AM Kindergarten students will all be dismissed at 11:40 AM out the front of the building.  All parents that are picking their children up are to park in the side lot (on the east side) and are to meet the children OUTSIDE the main/front door. NO cars are allowed to pull in the front of the building. This is a bus area ONLY at this time of day.  A staff member will escort the car riders to meet their parents/rides outside the main door. The staff cannot load busses and then walk the other children to their cars. They have a limited time for lunch and preparation for the PM classes.

All bus students are escorted out the Kindergarten exit door (Door B) to their assigned busses.

ONLY BUSSES are permitted to pull into the front “circle” drive.  There is no room for both busses AND cars to safely drop off students.  Also, students are not permitted to walk along the sidewalk when cars or busses are moving, since they may inadvertently slip into traffic, especially with the season’s potentially icy conditions.

If you are dropping your child off, PLEASE PARK IN THE SIDE LOT and WALK UP WITH YOUR CHILD TO DROP THEM OFF for class. Do NOT just “let them go”, again, since they may slip on the way up.  We realize it can get cold during the winter months, so please plan to arrive at 12:35, since the doors do not open until 12:40.

Staff cannot help your children exit the cars, since they must attend to the other 85 or so students that are also entering. 

Students will be dismissed at 3:30 PM.

Car Riders and Walkers:
All car riders and walkers will be dismissed first. They will exit out the main door, along Getson Drive.

Walkers: 
NO STUDENTS WILL BE PERMITTED TO WALK OFF SCHOOL PROPERTY WITHOUT ADULT SUPERVISION. Students will NOT be able to walk home with middle school siblings or high school siblings, unless we have written permission from the parent. Students will ONLY be permitted to walk off property with an escort for safety purposes.  All students at Central School are provided bus transportation since the area does NOT have sidewalks, crosswalks, or Community Service Officers. We encourage all students to take advantage of this opportunity.

Car Riders:  
When drivers enter the school entrance off of Getson to pick up students, the traffic flow pattern is to turn right to enter the pick up/parking area in front of the school.  Staff will be present to direct traffic.  All cars are to pull ALL THE WAY forward along the curb and are to create one long line of cars.  Once that “lane” is full, a second lane will be formed right beside that first lane.  Once that second lane is full, an additional lane will be created.  ALL ADULTS ARE TO REMAIN IN THEIR CARS.  Once all cars are in those three lanes, and are NOT moving, and the bell rings,  all walkers and car riders will be dismissed out the front door.  We ask that all drivers turn their cars OFF once the children begin exiting the building .   The students will walk to their cars and get in.  Once all students are in all the vehicles, staff members will walk down the lanes looking for the “thumbs up” from each driver, indicating all the kids are in the car.  Once all rows are loaded, the first lane will pull out, followed by the second, and then the third.  No cars will be permitted to pull away until ALL the children are safely in their cars AND no cars will be permitted to pass other drivers unless directed by staff to do so. (If a child is not outside, that parent/guardian will be instructed to circle around to wait for their student.) **Please note:  any car that arrives after the students are emerging from the building will be asked to remain in the side parking lot area until all lanes of traffic exit with their students.  At that time, late arriving cars will be permitted to pull up to the front sidewalk area.

A parent who chooses to park, and get out of their cars to meet their children will NOT be permitted to leave the front sidewalk until all lanes pull away.  This is to alleviate traffic congestion for our exiting lanes and to keep all driveways free of pedestrian traffic during exit time. Again, staff members will be outside directing traffic.  

Parents who arrive early to pick up students and park in the front visitor lot MUST be aware that the lot will be closed from approximately 3:15 until all cars in the moving lines have exited the lot (approximately 3:40).  If you choose to park there, you WILL NOT be permitted to leave until approximately 3:45 PM.  If you must pick up your child for an after school appointment, please plan accordingly.  You may be blocked in the lot for a short period of time. Therefore, you may need to park in the side lot.  We realize this plan may seem somewhat inconvenient for drivers, but it is designed with student and family safety as the top priority.  This type of procedure has been utilized at several district elementary schools with great success. 

Bus Riders:
All bus riders will exit with their teachers through the back doors.  All busses will be parked in the back lot and will be loaded at the same time.  Students will be walked out by their teachers. We hope to have the busses loaded in approximately 10-15 minutes, which means they will be on the road by 3:40-3:45 PM.  However, please allow additional time during the first few days.  It is not unusual for the bus loading and dismissal to take up to 25 minutes at the beginning of the year.  We take our dismissal procedures very seriously and make every effort to ensure the students are placed on the correct busses.  No busses can leave until we are sure we have students loaded correctly. Within a week or so, we have our dismissal down to a well oiled machine!  Thanks in advance for understanding!

We appreciate your cooperation with these procedures.  This plan was designed to ensure student safety at all times.  We do realize that some procedures and policies may seem “inconvenient” to parents, but student safety is our main concern.  If you have any questions, please contact the Central School office at (815) 436-9278.