CHES 2020-2021
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES (Revised Jan. 2021)
SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY!
Thank you!
Mrs. Joy Houchen
Principal
ARRIVAL
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ARRIVAL
Although some of these guidelines seemed like "overkill" when we started with a hybrid model, we are keeping them in place as the traffic will double when we bring students back full time. Please practice these safety guidelines so we are all ready to go when the time comes!
- Cars will only be permitted to drop off students if they are heading southbound on E. 71st Street. If headed north, you will have to go up to the HS or Klima to turn around.
- Cars will NOT be permitted into the parking lot between the ES and the MS/HS this year during arrival. This will be used for BUSES only.
- Cars will pull into the loop in front of the school or to pull into the parking lane on the right side of the street to drop off children.
- Due to Covid, staff members will not be able to open car doors this year. If a child needs assistance getting out of a car seat or seat belt, the driver or a passenger will have to assist.
- Staff members will be present to direct students to their lines/doors as they exit the cars.
- For safety and social distancing purposes, parents/guardians must drop their children off curbside. Please do not get in the entrance line with your child. We've got this!
- Please pull up as far as possible in the loop or the parking lane so we can fit as many cars as possible at one time. This will help keep traffic on E. 71st Street flowing.
- Adult supervision usually begins at 8:15 AM, but due to our new procedures and safety protocols this year, we will begin supervision/drop-off at 8:05 AM. Students will wait in line until we begin taking them inside. We will begin our staggered entrance at approximately 8:15. The tardy bell rings at 8:30.
GRADE LEVEL SPECIFICS FOR ARRIVAL
Drop-off for elementary students will take place as follows:
Whenever possible, PK and K students should be dropped off inside the loop in front of the building. Please pull forward as far as possible before your child gets out of the car. PK and K students will line up at the old entrance doors, marked with a RED flag.
Whenever possible, Grades 1 and 2 students should be dropped off inside the loop in front of the building. When traffic is heavy, however, the parking lane on the street is a viable option. These students will line up at the loop doors, marked with a YELLOW flag
.Students in Grade 3 should be dropped off inside the loop or in the parking lane on the street closest to the main entrance of the building. These students will line up at the North side doors nearest the office, marked with a GREEN flag.
Students in Grades 4 and 5 should be dropped off in the parking lane on the street. These students will line up at the South doors closest to the playground, marked with a BLUE flag. Please pull up as far as you can in the parking lane.
Students who walk to school will also line up at the doors listed above.
*If you have children in multiple grade levels, choose a drop-off spot that works best for your family.*
WALKERS AND BUS RIDERS
- Students who walk to school will cross with the crossing guard (if applicable) and will go to the appropriate door/line for their grade level.
- All guidelines for adults listed above are applicable to walkers as well. For example, to help with distancing, parents will drop their children off at the curbside and staff members will assist from there.
- Buses will enter the parking lot and will go to the back of the building to unload.
- Students getting off of the buses will go to the spots marked for their grade level in the back lot near the playground doors. (Fourth and fifth graders will be escorted to the south doors with their classmates.)
SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR STUDENTS AT ARRIVAL
- All students will line up with their grade-level peers in designated locations. They will wear masks while lined up and will be spaced three to six feet apart. This is why we are using multiple entrances this year.
- All students will be given hand sanitizer before entering the building.
- Students will go into the building at staggered times by grade level.
- Each grade level has a specific route from their doors to their classrooms. We have minimized the amount of interaction in the hallways by doing this.
- Students will go directly to their homerooms, empty their backpacks at their desks, and wait for the teachers to dismiss them to their lockers.
DISMISSAL
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR DISMISSAL (CAR RIDERS AND WALKERS)
- Cars will only be permitted to drop off students if they are heading southbound on E. 71st Street. If headed north, you will have to go up to the HS or Klima to turn around.
- Cars will NOT be permitted into the parking lot between the ES and the MS/HS this year during dismissal. Cars will not go to the back lot. This will be used for BUSES only.
- Cars will pull into the loop in front of the school or to pull into the parking lane on the right side of the street to pick up children.
- The CHES placard should be visible upon arrival. Staff members will direct you to pull up as far as possible and will then notify your child's teacher that you have arrived. Your child will immediately be dismissed to the appropriate exit doors and out to your car.
- If you do not have your placard, you will be asked to leave the line to get a slip from the office. This is for the safety of our children, as well as to keep the traffic moving.
- If you need additional placards for family members, you can print them at home or ask the office to print them for you.
- If your child is a walker, the office needs to know if they are supposed to walk home alone or if they need to wait for an adult. If they are allowed to walk alone (or with their siblings), they will be dismissed at the times listed below. If they need to wait for an adult, you will need to come to the sidewalk closest to the building with your placard. Your child will be dismissed to you there. Please follow all social distancing guidelines and wear a mask while waiting for your child.
- It is important to note that some grade levels are in Essentials classes until the end of the day and it will take them longer to get out to the cars. Parents/Guardians of students in KINDERGARTEN and GRADE TWO may want to wait until 3:10 to arrive.
GRADE LEVEL SPECIFICS FOR DISMISSAL/STAGGERED DISMISSAL TIMES
Dismissal for elementary students who are CAR RIDERS or WALKERS will take place as follows:
Students will be called to the cars when you arrive, but we are trying to alleviate traffic by providing staggered dismissal times. Please follow these time frames whenever possible:
- PK will begin dismissal at 3:00 PM
- Grades 1 and 4 will begin dismissal at 3:05 PM
- Grades K and 2 will begin dismissal at 3:10 PM
- Grades 3 and 5 will begin dismissal at 3:15 PM
*If you have children in multiple grade levels, choose the dismissal time that works best for your family.*
BUS DISMISSAL
Dismissal for buses begins as soon as the first bus arrives or at 3:15 (whichever comes last).
- Buses will enter the parking lot and will go to the back of the building to load.
- Students will be called to the back lot to enter the bus under the supervision of adult monitors and the bus drivers.
- Buses arrive at the ES any time between 3:15 and 3:40, depending upon the day.
SAFETY PROTOCOLS FOR STUDENTS AT DISMISSAL
- All students will exit through the doors they came entered in the morning. We will be using several exits to assist with distancing.
- Each grade level has a specific route from their classrooms to their exit doors. We have minimized the amount of interaction in the hallways by doing this.
- Students will go directly to their dismissal doors and out to the loading area when called. They will not be called until a staff member sees the placard or their bus arrives in the back lot.
- It is our staff members' prerogative to ask for an ID whenever they do not know the person picking up the child. Please have your ID ready if asked for it.