Arrival/Dismissal Procedures
Arrival Procedures
Please note: If your child is enrolled in Unleashing Potential for Before Care, see the box at the end of this page for information on arrival.
General Arrival takes place daily between 7:45 and 8:00 am.
Upon arrival, students will enter the building and walk directly to their classrooms where they will eat breakfast. We have staff members situated throughout the building to make sure that children get to their classrooms quickly and safely. Instruction begins promptly at 8:00am, so it is important that students arrive on time each day.
Car Arrival Procedures:
We ask that cars only enter the lot by heading North on S. 18th St. and making a right hand turn onto the road in front of the building. If you are heading south on S. 18th St., please do not make a left into the school’s parking lot from S. 18th. This is to avoid backups on S. 18th street. Instead, you should take a left onto Clark Ave just before you get to the school. Then, a right on S. 16th, a right onto Poplar and then a right onto S. 18th. This will set you up to enter our school’s lot making a right hand turn.
Once you have taken a right into the school’s lot, cars will proceed forward and then turn left into the drop off loop. At 7:45am, Atlas staff will be in the lot directing families through the loop and unloading a few cars at a time. To keep everyone safe, please do not allow your child to exit the vehicle without a staff member present.
To help our arrival process run smoothly, ensure your child is ready to unload as soon as you pull into the lot. The arrival map below shows how cars should proceed through the loop. As you exit the loop, we ask that you only make a right hand turn onto S. 18th St, in order to keep the traffic moving. At 8:10am we will close the gates to the parking lot and you will need to follow the Late Arrival Procedure listed below.
Walk-Up or Late Arrival Procedures:
If you walk your child to school, take public transit, or arrive after the gate closes at 8:10am, please escort your child to the front entrance of the building. In order to ensure your child’s safety, please wait with your child until they are signed into the building.
Dismissal Procedures
During the first few weeks of school, we will start dismissal at 3:15. This is to ensure that we get all children to cars safely and efficiently as we learn new routines. Normally, dismissal takes place daily between 3:30 and 3:45pm.
Car Dismissal Procedures:
Please display your Atlas student sign in your window at dismissal to aid in the process. We will only release students to adults who are authorized to pick up. If someone who is not on your authorized list is picking up your child, please email your child’s teacher 24 hours in advance. In the event of an emergency where 24 hours notice is not possible, please call the main office to let them know who will be picking up.
The gate to our lot will open each afternoon at 3:00 pm and cars may begin lining up at that time. Cars may only enter the lot by heading North on S. 18th St. and making a right hand turn onto the road in front of the building. Cars will proceed forward and then turn left into the pick up loop. Once the lot is filled, cars should continue to line up on the street outside of the building.
To help our process run smoothly, please make sure your vehicle is in park while you are waiting and remain in your car. An Atlas staff member will walk your child to your car. Once it is safe to pull forward, please exit the lot and make a right hand turn onto S. 18th St. The dismissal map above shows how cars should enter the road and proceed through the loop. If you need to get out of your car at any point during dismissal, or your child requires help getting situated or buckled, please pull up and park between the trash enclosure and the loading dock.
Dismissal ends at 3:45pm and the gates will be closed at that time.
Please note that early dismissal from the main office will end at 2:45pm. Families coming into the office after 2:45 pm will be asked to pick up their student through the parent pick-up line. Exceptions will be made in the event of an emergency.
Walk-Up Dismissal Procedures:
Families walking home from school will pick-up their child at the front entrance. There will be staff members at the door to greet you and dismiss the student.