Elementary School Parent Drop off and Pick-up Procedures
The school parking lot has one clearly marked entry point, and one exit. All traffic should enter and exit the parking lot accordingly and drop off all students at the front of the building in the designated drop off/pick up zones which are numbered. Pull as far forward as you are able in order to allow as many cars as possible into the lane. All traffic must flow slowly and in a single file manner to ensure complete student safety.
As buses arrive in the morning, they will pull into the designated “student drop off / pick up area” and release students as directed by school staff. Vehicles must be clear of the bus lane when buses are present.
At the end of the day, students name will be radioed inside for the student to be brought out to the designated pick up number and helped inside the car. If you need to buckle students in or need extra time, please pull forward out of the pick-up lane.
Students who ride the bus will walk outside of the building and immediately get on the appropriate bus, monitored by teachers and other staff. Students who are being picked up by a parent or guardian will be in the designated parent/guardian pick up area of the building accompanied by a teacher until that parent arrives and the teacher releases the student. Any student not picked up by 3:20pm will be placed in aftercare. The family will be contacted and may be charged according to the aftercare fee schedule.
Middle School Parent Drop Off and Pick-up Procedures
- Follow the signage to use the second entry into the parking lot and line up along the sidewalk if you are dropping off or picking up students (east side of building).
- Do not use the front driveway to drop off students before 8:15 am or to park in for pick up after 2:30 pm. This is the bus lane.
- Students may only enter or exit the car on the sidewalk side as cars are passing on the left side. This may mean climbing over car seats, but it is worth it for the safety factor.
- Students will not be permitted to cross into the parking lot or out to the main road. If the pickup person is parked in either place, they must walk to the building to get their student.
- Continue to pull up as far as you can once the car in front of you pulls forward.
- Students must wait until the car has pulled up as far as possible and has stopped before approaching the car. This allows for more cars to enter the pickup lane.
- Students may enter the car if the car has passed, or is in front of, the brick outbuilding, but they may not approach cars that have not reached this point.
- Once your student is in your car, you may pull around the car in front of you to exit the parking lot.
- If you need to enter the building, park in the east lot (next to the parent lane). Do not park in the front driveway during drop off or pick up times.
- Middle school students are released all together at 3:00 and exit the building to locate their pick up or to board busses. There is staff supervision, however the students are responsible to locate their pickup.
- Students are being directed to exit the school building in a timely manner and to pay close attention to the cars in order to speed up the process.
- Please be very mindful in the parking lot to ensure the safety of all our students.
Any student not picked up by 3:20pm will be placed in aftercare. The family will be contacted and may be charged according to the aftercare fee schedule.
Students Participating in After School Activities
Students will need a parent/guardian to pick them up by 4:00 pm or the time designated by the activity. The students will be accompanied and released by teachers. Students not picked up by 4:15 pm will be placed in aftercare. The family will be contacted and may be charged according to the aftercare fee schedule.
Aftercare students will be walked to the elementary building by a staff member.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q&A: Who can pick up students?
ASA requires advanced knowledge of who is approved to pick up students. Any changes require a call to the front desk to discuss arrangements.
Q&A: Does ASA check identities of those who pick up students?
At the Elementary, we do establish identity of unknown persons who come to pick up students midday.
At the Middle School, we do not unless there is a situation that warrants further inspection.
Q&A: What is the drop off time?
Students dropped off before 8:30 will be sent to Before Care. Breakfast is available at 8:30. Students will be considered tardy after 8:45.
Q&A: Where to do I go to pick up students?
At the elementary there are several options:
1. Early pickup – For those needing to check out their student for an early appointment, please park in the school lot and go to the front office to sign them out.
2. Walk up – Parents/guardians who can, we suggest parking in the cul-de-sac and meeting staff at the south door of the elementary. These students are often released early on in the pick up process as soon as they come down from class.
3. Parent line – For parents/guardians who are driving, the parent line starts out on the street in front of the bank. We ask that parents park in tight to the vehicle in front of them so we don’t extend back onto route 65. We also need to be mindful of not blocking the bank’s entrance/exit during that time. Once the buses are loaded, staff will signal the parent line to pull up to start the loading process.
The middle school operates in a similar manner but without the walk up option. Cars are asked to be in the parent line on the east side of the building while buses load on the south side of the building.
Q&A: What about split family arrangements?
For families that are divorced/blended, the general operating procedure for schools is that both legal guardians have rights unless there is a court order indicating otherwise. This can create several confusing situations of one parent wanting a certain action and the other parent disagreeing. However, in a transportation situation that is generally something that needs to be worked out between the parents rather than the school. We would have to allow either parent approving a transportation request unless there was something clearly suspect about the situation that might endanger the student. For example, who is on the emergency contact list for who is able to pick up students. Both parents might have different names on the list that the school would have to allow. Disputes on this between parents is something that would have to be resolved between the parents and not the school. For further guidance on this topic, it is recommended that parents contact the appropriate building administration for clarification.
Q&A: What about behaviors on transportation?
ASA does not administer transportation directly, we contract through Cambridge-Isanti and so any reports from drivers first goes through the C-I transportation dept before making it to ASA. After that we work with C-I on solutions depending on the details of that particular situation. For further information please see our transportation link in the menu above.