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Arrival / Dismissal Procedures


ATTENDANCE: Absence, Tardiness & Early Dismissals

Regular attendance is essential to success in school. It has been documented that attendance directly affects student achievement and MCAS success. When a child is absent, parents are obligated to notify the school. Children must bring a written note explaining the reason for the absence when they return to school. For vacations or prolonged absences, please notify the office and make arrangements with the classroom teacher.

Students are tardy when they arrive at school after 8:35am. Children who arrive late to school must report to the office accompanied by an adult before reporting to class. If you drop your child off by car or if they walk to school, students may be
dropped off at school at 8:10 am. There is not staff here to supervise students prior to 8:10, so for your child's safety, please do not drop them off before 8:10.

Any child who needs to be dismissed early from school for a doctor appointment or for other reasons must have a note to present to his/her teacher informing the school of the change in dismissal. Please understand that call-in dismissals during the last half hour of school (between 2:30-3pm) are more difficult to manage. If you are dismissing your child, it is imperative that you send a note in on the day of dismissal. If a change occurs and you need to dismiss your child in a different manner, please call before 2:30 so that we can be sure to get to the student/teacher/patrol and know that the information has been transferred accurately.

At the beginning of the school year a form is sent home for you to select your dismissal choice for your child. It is very important that you notify the school office in writing of any changes to your child's usual dismissal routine, if any occur during
the school year. Please include the date, name and class of student when notifying the school of such change.

Safety Concerns - Morning drop off and Afternoon pick up

Parents, please be aware of the following concerns. We want to be sure our students are all safe as they arrive and are dismissed from school.

Morning
  • Breakfast club parent drop off at the main entrance is ok until 7:45 am. Please do not park in the fire lane.
  • After 7:45 am, no drop offs in the main parking lot. It is a safety issue with staff arriving in the lot.
  • Parents, please be aware of the students being dropped off at Saltonstall in the morning.
  • Children are crossing at Herrick Road and there is not a crossing guard. Many mornings cars are moving quickly through that area and could pose a danger to the children. Please use caution.
  • Please do not drop off students in the bus drop off area. Students are walking onto the playground and again it poses it a safety issue.
  • And a reminder, no pets are allowed on the school grounds.
Afternoon
  • Car Pick up - In an effort to keep the car pick up line moving and safe for everyone, please:
    • Stay in your car, do not get out to greet or buckle your child in.
    • Do not use cell phones or have your car idling.
    • Move forward once you have picked up your child, do not turn around and go back down the street
    • Please do not get out of your car to greet your child
    • Cars should enter Saltonstall from Waverly Road by making a left hand turn. Cars should not be waiting in front of the school, making a right hand turn onto Waverly Road. Students are crossing the street in various patrols there and it is very dangerous.
    • Please have the name of the students being picked up posted largely and clearly in the front windshield of your car.
  • Patrol One Parents: Please do not stand on the lawns or sit on the stoops of the houses across the street. It is private property and we want to be considerate of the residents. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping all of our students safe.

Morning Drop Off and Afternoon Pick Up

Saltonstall Drop Off:
  • Drop off at the cement entry way, pull up to the cone (usually 3 cars discharge at a time) (See Exhibit "A" Below)
  • NO U TURNS to back down Saltonstall, this is a significant safety issue
Thomson Parking Lot:
  • Prior to 7:45 a.m., parents may drop off students in the staff lot for Breakfast Club, EXCEL clubs and the Breakfast Program.
  • This is a drop off only; please do not park in staff parking spaces. Staff comes in early to work in their classrooms and parking is limited.
  • The occasional case when you may be late, you can drop your child off at the front door entry between 8:25-8:35. Please do not park in the lot.
  • After 8:35, you need to park on the street and escort your child to the office. The secretary will sign your child in and take his/her lunch order.

Thomson Pick Up: ( Exhibit "B") 
  • Bus Driveway: For our children's safety, NO cars should be in the bus driveway.
  • Staff is on duty at 8:10 a.m. To ensure your child's safety, no child should be dropped off at the school until then.

Exhibit A


Exhibit B